When I was first thinking of creating a web site, that's the first name I thought of.

Little did I know at the time that this is also the name of a whole software technology.
But the two concepts, though different, are certainly related.
The main problem in integrating data for business or research purposes is that is exists
in different types of files, using different database management software, possibly using different words
to describe the same thing, and so forth. You want to provide the user with one interface that can
successfully access all these different sources of information.

My concept of "data integration" does not address the technical problems of accessing different
data sources, but the human and social problems of importances, relevance, trustworthiness, and
usefullness. These are basically decisions that each person, each group, has to make for themselves.

The main concern I want to address on this site is that each person, group or business that is offering
a solution seldom mentions in their own materials that other solutions also exist. We all know this to
be the case for almost any situation, yet each source of data tends to behave as if they are the source.

Thus, this is for starters a research site. For any given problem or situation, what is being done out there
to handle it? What are the more fundamental truths or assumptions being used by the various different
approaches? How effective are they?

Currently, I have limited time to work on this idea. So I am not "out there" trying to connect up with
people. If you do visit this site, I would for sure like to know that you did. But I am not in a position yet
to be intensly in communication. I am just learning how to use the services provided by wetpaint myself,
and I am in fact a relative newcomer to the web.

Do I have an agenda? After all, I am a Scientologist. I can say this:
I am not particularly interested in the money-making aspects of this particular subject.
I am particularly interested in people having access to all the data they need to address their issues.
I have, through my work in the church, received numerous reports of the workability of the various
technologies known collectively as "Scientology", yet see them rarely mentioned on the web or in the
media.
Thus, I am interested in making these technologies more broadly known, and their underlying data
taken more seriously, if only on the basis that these technologies do work in trained hands.

I have met many people who do not seem to even be aware that there is a situation on this planet
and that conditions are worsening. If you are such a person, I am not planning to present a lot of
data about that on this site. Many other sites are full of it. But if you are wondering why things seem
to be getting worse, or simply what can be, or is being, done about it, these are questions that I
intend to give top priority.

Of course I recommend all the Scientology sites. But they are not data integration sites, either.
However, I think if you take the trouble to visit these sites and really study them a bit, you will see
why the technologies or information presented on these sites should be taken seriously.
Especially if you feel that traditional approaches are not working for you, you owe it to yourself
to visit these sites.