MySQL 2009 Wrap-Up

April 28th, 2009 by Flip McFadden

I just returned from the MySQL 2009 conference and expo, the annual meeting of the minds of those of us who share a passion for MySQL. I believe that like me, most attendees like to code – not because it’s our jobs, but because of the artistry involved in perfecting our trade. We are passionate about each other’s experiences and like to hear about the latest techniques others are using. This conference, above all, is a learning opportunity, as many attend to earn certifications, attend talks, and meet a few of the Sun/MySQL developers responsible for the product we use today.

I was honored to present a session on data smoothing, since my work on EM7 draws upon the topic so well. Anyone who collects data sooner or later runs into the problem of data overload. My work with data normalization in EM7 draws upon all aspects of data – how it’s collected, managed, presented and archived. It was very rewarding to be able to impart some of my knowledge and lessons learned to others, and frankly, amazed that others drew upon my own experiences instead of me selfishly drawing only on other’s experiences.

One of the highlights for me personally, was having the opportunity to rub elbows with the MySQL rock stars, including Brian Aker, who I call the “new brainchild” and Drizzle guru of MySQL; David Axmark, co-founder and developer of the original MySQL source, and Jay Pipes, my master of the datetime type (although his experience goes much farther than that).

In addition to sharing my experiences, my interest in wavelet analysis to compress data was rekindled by a colorful Sun developer who entertained us for a couple of hours over beer. I briefly learned about it in college while studying networking – enough to pass the tests – but wasn’t sure where I’d ever have a chance to use it in my career. I also discovered my long lost talent for stage performance, but I never thought it would come from a technical presentation! Many thanks to the O’Reilly Media team for asking me – I look forward to returning to the stage!

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