The Awkward Age of Platforms: Why Open Formats Signal Industry Maturity

The talk will demonstrate that abandoning proprietary specifications in favor of open ones (Parquet, Iceberg, Delta Lake, Arrow) is not a technical fad, but a sign of platform maturity. We will examine the economic and strategic reasons for the transition, real-world migration cases, and how openness is changing approaches to data storage, portability, and long-term value. The key takeaway: choosing an open format is an investment in the future, not a compromise today.