August 2020 Summaries

Starburst, a software startup experiencing significant growth following a $42 million Series B funding round, is committed to fostering an inclusive meritocracy by prioritizing diversity and inclusion in its hiring practices and company culture. Recognizing the limitations of traditional meritocratic approaches that do not ensure an equal starting point for all, Starburst aims to create a diverse candidate pool and inclusive hiring processes to support individuals from varied backgrounds. The company is actively reviewing its recruitment strategies to minimize biases and expanding its search geographically to attract a broader range of applicants. Starburst's dedication to diversity and inclusion is reflected in its cultural values and partnerships with organizations such as She+ Geeks Out and Resilient Coders, as it seeks to educate itself and implement effective policies to achieve its goals.

Apache Drill, once a promising SQL query engine with features like schema-on-the-fly, has faced decline due to its dependency on Hadoop and performance issues, exacerbated by Hewlett Packard Enterprise's withdrawal of support. In contrast, Trino, an open-source SQL query engine, has gained popularity for its independence from Hadoop, lightweight architecture, and ability to integrate with various infrastructures, including cloud and on-premises environments. Trino's success is driven by its capacity to federate data from multiple sources using a wide range of connectors and industry-standard SQL, appealing to enterprises with legacy systems seeking analytics solutions without vendor lock-in. As proprietary solutions lose favor, open-source projects like Trino offer companies a future-proof alternative, evidenced by its rapid growth, community engagement, and continuous feature development.