Today we're introducing Google Fusion Tables on Labs, an experimental system for data management in the cloud. It draws on the expertise of folks within Google Research who have been studying collaboration, data integration, and user requirements from a variety of domains. Fusion Tables is not a traditional database system focusing on complicated SQL queries and transaction processing. Instead, the focus is on fusing data management and collaboration: merging multiple data sources, discussion of the data, querying, visualization, and Web publishing. We plan to iteratively add new features to the systems as we get feedback from users.
Michael, It's interesting that I had already Diigo bookmarked Google Fusion Labs on 26th August. This illustrates something I was observing with Steve the other day; that social bookmarking seems to be 'one-way'. In other words we all stuff things into Diigo, but why? Other than transitory email alerts to new bookmarks, I have no feel for emerging themes, or common bookmarks via Diigo. This is something the Knowledge Hub will no doubt surface in activity streams and emerging themes (I hope!)
The means to connect social networks and software applications together have existed for years but haven't been very open or useful enough to reach critical mass. That's been changing as OpenSocial has continued to doggedly improve and mature. The latest version has a chance to go mainstream, the question is if users will find the features compelling enough to use.