A change is gonna come

Join us in the data revolution.

pitchstrata@oreilly.com photo

When I told some of my friends and family that I was joining O’Reilly Media as an editor focusing on ORM’s Strata practice area, their responses reflected the diversity of my loved ones.

I’ve paraphrased some of the best ones here:

  • “That is great! I have a bunch of their books. Everyone I know has the animal books.”
  • “Bill O’Reilly owns a media company?”
  • “I don’t get you techie people. Didn’t you already do a bunch of weird ninja-y data type stuff?”
  • “Congrats! I have a lot of respect for ORM.”
  • “… wait a sec, didn’t you STOP being a Java editor years ago to go work at an assessment data startup? ”

Sigh.

The people in my life have a few things in common.  They are smart, articulate, really truly not afraid to say what they think, and seek to be the change they wish to see in the world.  We don’t always agree [massive understatement]. Yet, our motivations are the same.

Why am I telling you this?

I believe that at our core, no matter how different we may seem, we do not actively seek to harm. Yet, everyone that works with data already has or will be facing certain choices on what to do with data. Choices that are obviously for good or for evil. Choices that are neither completely for good or completely for evil. Choices that we are reluctant to discuss because we do not want to implicate ourselves or the companies we work for. Yet, just because we are reluctant to discuss them does not mean we are not facing these challenges.

If you have the courage to speak out regarding the real everyday challenges that you experience while working with data, then I want to listen. If you have discovered solutions to these everyday challenges, then I want to publish your insight. If you engage in anything I publish, whether you agree or disagree, have suggestions for how things could be different or better, then please say something.

You can reach me at pitchstrata@oreilly.com.

I seek to support ORM’s vision to be a platform for the ideas of innovators.  I hope to publish multiple perspectives and voices in order to provoke discourse and enable innovation with data. I, obviously, cannot do this alone.  I am fortunate to join the likes of Tim, JimEdd, Mike, Julie, Alistair, Mac, Andy, Roger, Ben, Alex, Jenn, and many friends of O’Reilly who have already provided insights and enabled discussions about what is happening in “big” data.

Interested in joining us in the data revolution? Or being the change you wish to see in the world? Then contact us with your idea at pitchstrata@oreilly.com.

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