h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can anyone tell me if they actually use OLAP tools for anything other than fixed-format standard reports?

Have you got any REAL examples of interesting analyses (other than the ubiquitous beer/nappies example)?

I build OLAP databases all the time and would be interested in some feedback with a hitchhiker perspective, rather than a vendor-biased perspective.

Cheers!

I know someone who uses an OLAP tool by day to do his standard reporting stuff (as you mentioned). However... by night he uses the same package to keep track of his Fantasy Football league.

Is that using OLAP or what?

Aha, I knew that someone had to be using it for something more interesting than the boring old beer/nappies stuff.

Although I don't think his Finance Director/CFO will be too pleased to learn that he's paid upwards of £50,000 for a 'single user fantasy game analysis system'. Good Lord! What an opportunity - we can resell SUFGAS to most of the IT people I know. Its got to be worth some of their winnings once they've analysed their strategy and gameplay...

... perhaps I'll just ask for a tenner in advance.