Comments on: Google Visualization API Opens Up http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/04/google-visualization-api-opens-up/ Strength in Numbers Wed, 23 May 2012 17:10:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: shopyield.com › Googley waters… http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/04/google-visualization-api-opens-up/#comment-17581 shopyield.com › Googley waters… Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:28:09 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1109#comment-17581 [...] in line with my desire for a clean white web Flowing Data pointed to an announcement about Google opening up their visualization API … geek delight times [...] [...] in line with my desire for a clean white web Flowing Data pointed to an announcement about Google opening up their visualization API … geek delight times [...]

]]> By: Nathan Yau http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/04/google-visualization-api-opens-up/#comment-17526 Nathan Yau Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:55:32 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1109#comment-17526 @Justin - thanks for the breakdown. I was too hasty late last night. @Justin – thanks for the breakdown. I was too hasty late last night.

]]> By: Jon Peltier http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/04/google-visualization-api-opens-up/#comment-17513 Jon Peltier Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:49:46 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1109#comment-17513 I've only fiddled with the Google API, but it looks promising. I think it will gradually expand, and I think initially that Kim's predictions will be upheld: people will use G-API as an open source web-based PowerPoint, and we'll be inundated with loads of awful visualizations. This is no different than the onslaught of awful visualizations from "dashboard" and "BI" software packages, like Dundas, ChartFX, and innumerable others that surpass even Excel 2007 in useless optical effects. Eventually, I'd hope that the tide would turn toward sanity, as third party implementations spring up that apply sensible practices using G-API. I’ve only fiddled with the Google API, but it looks promising. I think it will gradually expand, and I think initially that Kim’s predictions will be upheld: people will use G-API as an open source web-based PowerPoint, and we’ll be inundated with loads of awful visualizations.

This is no different than the onslaught of awful visualizations from “dashboard” and “BI” software packages, like Dundas, ChartFX, and innumerable others that surpass even Excel 2007 in useless optical effects.

Eventually, I’d hope that the tide would turn toward sanity, as third party implementations spring up that apply sensible practices using G-API.

]]> By: Justin Knoll http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/04/google-visualization-api-opens-up/#comment-17502 Justin Knoll Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:07:05 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1109#comment-17502 It's hard to tell what's going on in this press release, so I'll break it down: The Visualization API has been open for a long time. It's hasn't been restricted to Google Spreadsheets. Google documented how to implement a data source, though the community response was underwhelming. I tweeted about this in August, linking up the docs and noting that there seemed to be no open source projects taking up the challenge: http://is.gd/6i47 The actual news: Google has open-sourced a Python data source reference implementation: http://is.gd/6ffo. The fake news: Google and Salesforce wanted to issue a joint press release, and no one noticed the first time Google opened up the Visualization API, so why not give it another shot? In any case, the Visualization API is a great tool and it will probably get more play now that there's a reference data source implementation. Here's to motion charts! It’s hard to tell what’s going on in this press release, so I’ll break it down:

The Visualization API has been open for a long time. It’s hasn’t been restricted to Google Spreadsheets. Google documented how to implement a data source, though the community response was underwhelming.

I tweeted about this in August, linking up the docs and noting that there seemed to be no open source projects taking up the challenge: http://is.gd/6i47

The actual news: Google has open-sourced a Python data source reference implementation: http://is.gd/6ffo.

The fake news: Google and Salesforce wanted to issue a joint press release, and no one noticed the first time Google opened up the Visualization API, so why not give it another shot?

In any case, the Visualization API is a great tool and it will probably get more play now that there’s a reference data source implementation. Here’s to motion charts!

]]> By: Kim Pimmel http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/04/google-visualization-api-opens-up/#comment-17497 Kim Pimmel Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:39:52 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1109#comment-17497 I believe there will likely be an increase in the number of sites using the tool, most likely in the same way the average user uses Powerpoint, to create cheesy, gaudy visualizations that won't even get their point across. But there will also be an increasing trend to use the API in a smart fashion and the general public will get used to seeing alternate ways to visualize data sets - and I suppose a wider awareness of visualization techniques is a good thing. I believe there will likely be an increase in the number of sites using the tool, most likely in the same way the average user uses Powerpoint, to create cheesy, gaudy visualizations that won’t even get their point across. But there will also be an increasing trend to use the API in a smart fashion and the general public will get used to seeing alternate ways to visualize data sets – and I suppose a wider awareness of visualization techniques is a good thing.

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