

Data Visualization with JavaScript - ig1
http://sathomas.me/jsdataviz/index.html

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sathomasga
Oops. Although I wasn't really trying to keep this a secret, it's just
something that's very much still in-progress. It certainly hasn't been edited
yet. To be honest, I'm more worried that the material will fall out-of-date
before I can finish it. But comments and criticism (kind or otherwise) are
still very much welcome. I really do intend to spend more time on this
starting in a month or so. Who knows, it folks are really interested that
might be enough of an inspiration to finally push through and finish it.

~~~
jackgolding
Now you have the HN editing/grammar-nazi army!

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nullterminated
It's all very nice. But this made me throw up a little. "With a functional
programming implementation, it’s hard to imagine how a bug (other than a typo)
might even be introduced."

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bingcrosby
I actually stumbled on this book yesterday. I read a few chapters. What
surprised me the most other than the good content if you're in the JS
analytics space, but actually the fluidity and level of the writing was so
much than what you usually expect to come across in what on the surface of
things should be dry. It kept me going for a few more chapters. Hope this
catches on.

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piyasde
Good Book indeed. We are learning alternative from here after d3.js and
Highchart. Reading the book and will try to employ this in analytic portions
of our in-house project.

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polskibus
I noticed Raphael being used - is it still the library of choice? I though
most focus is on D3 these days? Would you mind sharing your rationale for each
library used?

~~~
sathomasga
For specialized visualizations, of course, there are specialized libraries.
For the more general uses I mostly wanted to provide a survey of some of the
libraries that are available. It's not really intended as a recommendation of
one library over another. When you really look at it, all of the general
charting libraries are pretty similar. I did want to stick with true open
source, so no HighCharts, for example.

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pratkar
I've always been a D3.js fan, more so because of the extensive range of novel
chart types that it has. But, this looks good when you need a simpler
solution.

~~~
vrepsys
AFAIK D3.js does not have 'a range' of chart types. It's just that you can use
D3 to draw anything you like including charts, maps etc. It does not have any
chart types built-in.

~~~
pratkar
What I meant was users have created an extensive library of re-usable chart
types. :)

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danso
Bravo and thanks to another new and free reference. The non-technical writing
has to be tightened up a bit though...it seems that the author, when
addressing unknown domains, goes too far in assuming that "oh, everyone knows
[this/that]"

Examples from the intro page:

[http://sathomas.me/jsdataviz/intro.html](http://sathomas.me/jsdataviz/intro.html)

\- _Even the BBC and the New York Times have noticed: Data defines our world._
...OK, both are certainly old organizations...that doesn't necessarily mean
both have been slow on the data uptake...

\- _Yet according to some estimates, 99.5% of the data our systems collect
goes to waste. No one ever analyzes it effectively._ \- Uh..."some estimates"
links to The Register, which has written a story based off of
anecdotes...what's that saying about data not being the plural of anecdote?
"99.5%" is such an extreme estimate that it sounds like a parody of "44% of
all statistics are made up".

\- _The best visualizations, in fact, impart this understanding
subconsciously. Viewers comprehend the data immediately—without thinking. Such
presentations free the viewer to more fully consider the implications of the
data: the stories it tells, the insights it reveals, or even the warnings it
offers._ \-- Huh?

\- _If you’re developing web sites or web applications today, there’s a good
chance you have data to communicate, and that data may be begging for a good
visualization. But how do you know what kind of visualization is appropriate?_
\-- These are all good questions and concerns, but none of them have anything
to do with JavaScript, as Edward Tufte was able to tackle this topic before JS
was invented.

Yeah, I'm being nitpicky...but the field of data visualization already has too
much fluff and confusion. Also, when a writer focuses on a reasonable scope,
rather than attempt to play anthropologist/psychologist...there's more time to
focus on their actual material.

