Meetup Mashup....the beginning

A quick introduction to the group and how (& why) it exists.......

In the beginning.....there was data.  We had Data Entry Departments and Data Processing functions.  This was very much the domain of big businesses using big computers to process small amounts of data.  This went through various evolutions, with data being captured, processed and analysed, via
mini-computers, then personal computers, then laptops, tablets and (by the 21st Century) mobiles.

Now we're in an era where data is generated by a multitude of devices (forecast to be 50Bn+ by 2020) and the data generation has moved away from the data storage which, in itself, is segregated from the data analysis and analytics.

With the continued proliferation of data generating devices, some just "talking" to themselves, some communicating machine to machine, others acting as Internet endpoints, etc. etc. and the arrival of wearables, connected self, Internet of Things, we're truly in the era of "Big Data" (a term I've never liked but, like Jazz, Marmite and reality TV, it has gained acceptance by others).

There is an approaching Tsunami of data on its way, with billions of devices generating Exabytes of data and I have created this group to explore how we can bring the nexus of forces together:

• Internet of Things - generating massive volumes, with increasing velocity and variablility
• Big Data - providing the means to store the data
• Cloud Computing - putting the scaling of compute power within reach wherever it's needed
• Machine Learning - developing new paradigms to analyse the data
• Deep Analytics - bringing the data together and providing the presentation/visualization layer
• Open Data - Local and Central Government and Public Bodies are releasing datasets into the public domain, providing a wealth of validated, comprehensive, data

The intention is to hold events and discussions, both virtually and physically, to explore the future architecture and paradigms needed to support our information needs in 21st Century.

Why is it called Meetup Mashups?  Well, there's many www.meetup.com groups covering the areas described above.  This group will bring these various perspectives together.....hence, Meetup Mashup.

Welcome.....climb aboard, strap in and join us on a whirlwind journey of discovery!