Mashstream defines the basics for mashups, linked data, and semantic web

In his post, Michael Hiatt defines the basics of mashups, linked data, and the semantic web in very understandable terms. He also explains some of the challenges and projections for these concepts. I particularly like his example of a simple enterprise mashup:

“One simple example of a mashup is an aggregated Sales application that integrates CRM and financial data with functionality from the Web and corporate backend data. This example mashup would employ real-time information, streaming content, and Web services to form a coordinated application using all of these data sources. Integrated sales information for the traveling sales person could be available from their smart phone or laptop. I imagine this sample application to include these integrated features:

• Streams real-time Web information of financial and customer relationship management (CRM) data from NetSuite or Salesforce.com, combining it with online maps to visually identify, locate and categorize customers for each geographical location. Using Google Maps or Mapquest APIs, each customer site appears on the map and allows the sales person to drill down using the map paradigm to identify customer sites to expose new sales or possible upsell opportunities.
• Background information and Request for Information (RFI) documents could be generated partly using semantically rich content from DBpedia, the semantically structured content from Wikipedia. Integrated and updated glossary definitions of domain vernacular, references to partners and competitors could come together as competitive analysis documents. Prospective customers could read marketing evaluations combined with general reference content, and links to trusted independent blogger opinions, all from a single document.
• Internal, proprietary customer data about installed products, contracts, and upsell possibilities can be integrated with the maps, reference information, and sales database to provide personalized content for customers.”