7 ms·

Announcing Wolfram Alpha Pro

241 points by cleverjake 15y ago

aorshan 15y ago
That is huge. Completely changes the dynamic of how you can interact with Wolfram Alpha. It is also sure to help plenty of new students with their homework in a completely different way.
Schwolop 15y ago
Wow. When they start offering site licenses for this, every university in the world is going to buy one. (edit: my bad, they already do)
davyjones 15y ago
As a sucker for 3D models, I was drooling all over this: "When one says “downloading data”, one might think just of data behind tables and plots. But Wolfram|Alpha Pro can download all sorts of other data too: 3D geometry data (say to use for a modeling program or a 3D printer), sound data, graph connectivity data, molecular specification data, etc.—in altogether more than 60 formats."
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
staunch 15y ago
The thing I wish they would do is have data analysis/visualization API. I send data in predefined supported formats ("User Retention Data", "Google Advertising Campaign", etc) and they send back deep/amazing/interactive/visualization reports. Some companies have tried to create reporting/dashboard services, but I bet Wolfram could do far better job than anyone else has. I could easily see tens of thousands of businesses powering their back office dashboards off Wolfram and paying $100-$200/mo for the privilege.
- joshu 15y ago
  http://www.tableausoftware.com/ http://www.tableausoftware.com/
  - staunch 15y ago
    Thanks. I think actually checked them out previously and just did again. I'm sure it was my allergy to "Contact us for pricing", and server software that runs on Windows, that put me off trying it myself. I guess that's "Enterprise" software for you. Maybe it's worth the pain in this case. Those graphics are perty.
    - glaugh 15y ago
      A very prevalent allergy. It's a bit buried, but Tableau Public is available for free download. http://www.tableausoftware.com/public http://www.tableausoftware.com/public I forget what its limitations are but I remember thinking they weren't too bad. Also I think your larger point still stands. Tableau is great, but there's still room for more vertically customized analytical reporting.
Shank 15y ago
Is it me or is the site running at an unbelievably slow pace right now? Also: Large datasets can apparently screw off, their filesize limit is 1mb.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
logain2006 15y ago
So "Pro" is code for "Paid"
markerdmann 15y ago
The problem with Wolfram Alpha is this: it's awesome when a query works, but often it either doesn't understand your query on the first try, or it just doesn't have the data or computation you're after. Siri has the same UI problem. You either have to read through the list of commands and memorize a few, or you have to deal with the constant frustration of trying something three times before giving up and doing it manually. That said, these UIs are fun for a coder. :-) It'd be cool if somebody were to track and curate interesting Wolfram Alpha queries in a blog/tumblr/subreddit. The closest thing I could find was this: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-search-terms-put-wolfram-alpha-good-everyday/ http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-search-terms-put-wolfram-alp...
- programnature 15y ago
  Dude did you look at the link? The new features are all about bypassing that. You just give it the data, instead of a language-esque query. And there is a lot more UI too, for manipulating plots and such.
  - markerdmann 15y ago
    Sorry, I guess I went off on a tangent not directly related to the link you posted. :-) You're absolutely right. Have you used the new Wolfram Alpha UIs for anything serious yet? How did you find them?
- lamby 15y ago
  Speaking of UI, http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=695582 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=695582
the_cat_kittles 15y ago
Has anyone actually used wolfram alpha regularly? What did you use it for? Not that I think its dumb (well... maybe I'm a little skeptical), but I just haven't thought of any way to use it.
- metajack 15y ago
  I don't use it as much as Google or anything, but I find myself there once or twice a week. Usually it's things like geographic info (population, size), currency or timezone conversion, or various other sort of small things like that. I enjoy it quite a bit, and I should probably use it for many more things.
- stonemetal 15y ago
  Do you ever use google calculator? It does all of that only better. When I first tried duckduckgo I kept going back to google for the calculator. Then ddg added(or at least I discovered) !wa to search alpha directly, so now all the stuff I used to use google calculator goes to alpha.
veb 15y ago
I love Wolfram Alpha and I'm definitely excited to trial the 'pro' version. I find it more helpful for looking up conversions, anything to do with money/finance and looking for a short history on stuff. It's quite exciting watching what they do, definitely one of the few companies I respect, for some reason! :)
- tucson 15y ago
  what kind of money/finance info do you find in this tool that you don't in yahoo or google finance?
edanm 15y ago
I love Wolfram Alpha. Every time I think about it, I think it's a grand achievement and an absolutely amazing tool. I just wish I had any idea what to do with it. Once in a long while, I'll think of trying a query on it. Mostly for city populations, past Academy Award winners, etc. But I have nothing to do with it on a day-to-day basis. What do Hacker News users use it for?
- gjulianm 15y ago
  Mathematics. Plot a difficult function, search limits, derivatives, integrals... Wolfram is the master of calculus. It only fails when I make queries about sets.
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
  - dfan 15y ago
    Here too. I started relearning a lot of my old calculus techniques recently and Wolfram Alpha was superb for checking my solutions and plotting functions.
  - gxs 15y ago
    Mathematics indeed. It can handle complex integrals quite well too.
- mahyarm 15y ago
  Wolfram alpha should be positioned as a web search supplement. Just like how if you put some math equation into google search, it will calculate it for you, wolfram alpha has to do the opposite and add a web search for you. It will then become significantly more useful, since every query will have a web search fallback. If they load it in parts, like duck duck go does, even better. I think duck duck go with more extensive wolfram alpha integration would work.
  - tylerritchie 15y ago
    I really enjoy using duckduckgo, but both it and wolframalpha suffer from slow response time. I'm confident that I could query google, duckduckgo and wolframalpha for any query that all three could answer ("diameter of a quarter" ) and have the answer in google and then have followed the link to the wikipedia article on the US quarter before the answer appeared in either wolframalpha or duckduckgo. In fact, I just checked, that's the case (for me at least). With wolframalpha I would have had time to enter the query into duckduckgo and then return to wolframalpha before the link I had to click to tell wolframalpha I meant "quarter" as a currency came up. Duckduckgo didn't answer the question for me, but it was a click away (so better than wolframalpha in that regard). I enjoy using wolframalpha for the things that I know have easy answers (populations, distances and measurements of celestial bodies, time measurements--30 days ago) and give concrete numbers, but would require slightly more effort to pull out of wikipedia. I should test exact page load times for those queries from several geographically distinct locations on multiple browsers, but it's late and I'm now going to bed.
notknotnot 15y ago
Query: how many edges has a complete graph? Result: Consult complete graph. So not a very intelligent algorithm, no AI
twodayslate 15y ago
I hate monthly subscriptions. I would much rather pay a flat fee. Why do no companies do this anymore?
- pixelmonkey 15y ago
  Might have something to do with profits. Take a look at this calculation: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%24299+as+percent+of+%28%244.99+per+month+for+30+years%29 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%24299+as+percent+of+%2...
jwr 15y ago
I breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried that Wolfram has been investing so much into Alpha, all the while not making any money from it. Such unstable arrangements do not last. This looks like a viable way to earn money with that excellent service, which means it won't disappear any time soon. I'm glad to see that.
27182818284 15y ago
I use it for quick social arguments and commentary a lot. E.g., if you know the average age of a senator, and you want to know roughly what it was like when they were 18, you can do http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=minimum+wage+1969+adjusted+for+2011 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=minimum+wage+1969+adjus...

241 points by cleverjake 15y ago

That is huge. Completely changes the dynamic of how you can interact with Wolfram Alpha. It is also sure to help plenty of new students with their homework in a completely different way.

Schwolop 15y ago

Wow. When they start offering site licenses for this, every university in the world is going to buy one. (edit: my bad, they already do)

davyjones 15y ago

As a sucker for 3D models, I was drooling all over this: "When one says “downloading data”, one might think just of data behind tables and plots. But Wolfram|Alpha Pro can download all sorts of other data too: 3D geometry data (say to use for a modeling program or a 3D printer), sound data, graph connectivity data, molecular specification data, etc.—in altogether more than 60 formats."

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

staunch 15y ago

The thing I wish they would do is have data analysis/visualization API. I send data in predefined supported formats ("User Retention Data", "Google Advertising Campaign", etc) and they send back deep/amazing/interactive/visualization reports. Some companies have tried to create reporting/dashboard services, but I bet Wolfram could do far better job than anyone else has. I could easily see tens of thousands of businesses powering their back office dashboards off Wolfram and paying $100-$200/mo for the privilege.

joshu 15y ago
http://www.tableausoftware.com/ http://www.tableausoftware.com/
- staunch 15y ago
  Thanks. I think actually checked them out previously and just did again. I'm sure it was my allergy to "Contact us for pricing", and server software that runs on Windows, that put me off trying it myself. I guess that's "Enterprise" software for you. Maybe it's worth the pain in this case. Those graphics are perty.
  - glaugh 15y ago
    A very prevalent allergy. It's a bit buried, but Tableau Public is available for free download. http://www.tableausoftware.com/public http://www.tableausoftware.com/public I forget what its limitations are but I remember thinking they weren't too bad. Also I think your larger point still stands. Tableau is great, but there's still room for more vertically customized analytical reporting.

Shank 15y ago

Is it me or is the site running at an unbelievably slow pace right now? Also: Large datasets can apparently screw off, their filesize limit is 1mb.

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]

logain2006 15y ago

So "Pro" is code for "Paid"

markerdmann 15y ago

The problem with Wolfram Alpha is this: it's awesome when a query works, but often it either doesn't understand your query on the first try, or it just doesn't have the data or computation you're after. Siri has the same UI problem. You either have to read through the list of commands and memorize a few, or you have to deal with the constant frustration of trying something three times before giving up and doing it manually. That said, these UIs are fun for a coder. :-) It'd be cool if somebody were to track and curate interesting Wolfram Alpha queries in a blog/tumblr/subreddit. The closest thing I could find was this: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-search-terms-put-wolfram-alpha-good-everyday/ http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-search-terms-put-wolfram-alp...

programnature 15y ago
Dude did you look at the link? The new features are all about bypassing that. You just give it the data, instead of a language-esque query. And there is a lot more UI too, for manipulating plots and such.
- markerdmann 15y ago
  Sorry, I guess I went off on a tangent not directly related to the link you posted. :-) You're absolutely right. Have you used the new Wolfram Alpha UIs for anything serious yet? How did you find them?
lamby 15y ago
Speaking of UI, http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=695582 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=695582

the_cat_kittles 15y ago

Has anyone actually used wolfram alpha regularly? What did you use it for? Not that I think its dumb (well... maybe I'm a little skeptical), but I just haven't thought of any way to use it.

metajack 15y ago
I don't use it as much as Google or anything, but I find myself there once or twice a week. Usually it's things like geographic info (population, size), currency or timezone conversion, or various other sort of small things like that. I enjoy it quite a bit, and I should probably use it for many more things.
stonemetal 15y ago
Do you ever use google calculator? It does all of that only better. When I first tried duckduckgo I kept going back to google for the calculator. Then ddg added(or at least I discovered) !wa to search alpha directly, so now all the stuff I used to use google calculator goes to alpha.

veb 15y ago

I love Wolfram Alpha and I'm definitely excited to trial the 'pro' version. I find it more helpful for looking up conversions, anything to do with money/finance and looking for a short history on stuff. It's quite exciting watching what they do, definitely one of the few companies I respect, for some reason! :)

tucson 15y ago
what kind of money/finance info do you find in this tool that you don't in yahoo or google finance?

edanm 15y ago

I love Wolfram Alpha. Every time I think about it, I think it's a grand achievement and an absolutely amazing tool. I just wish I had any idea what to do with it. Once in a long while, I'll think of trying a query on it. Mostly for city populations, past Academy Award winners, etc. But I have nothing to do with it on a day-to-day basis. What do Hacker News users use it for?

gjulianm 15y ago
Mathematics. Plot a difficult function, search limits, derivatives, integrals... Wolfram is the master of calculus. It only fails when I make queries about sets.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- dfan 15y ago
  Here too. I started relearning a lot of my old calculus techniques recently and Wolfram Alpha was superb for checking my solutions and plotting functions.
- gxs 15y ago
  Mathematics indeed. It can handle complex integrals quite well too.
mahyarm 15y ago
Wolfram alpha should be positioned as a web search supplement. Just like how if you put some math equation into google search, it will calculate it for you, wolfram alpha has to do the opposite and add a web search for you. It will then become significantly more useful, since every query will have a web search fallback. If they load it in parts, like duck duck go does, even better. I think duck duck go with more extensive wolfram alpha integration would work.
- tylerritchie 15y ago
  I really enjoy using duckduckgo, but both it and wolframalpha suffer from slow response time. I'm confident that I could query google, duckduckgo and wolframalpha for any query that all three could answer ("diameter of a quarter" ) and have the answer in google and then have followed the link to the wikipedia article on the US quarter before the answer appeared in either wolframalpha or duckduckgo. In fact, I just checked, that's the case (for me at least). With wolframalpha I would have had time to enter the query into duckduckgo and then return to wolframalpha before the link I had to click to tell wolframalpha I meant "quarter" as a currency came up. Duckduckgo didn't answer the question for me, but it was a click away (so better than wolframalpha in that regard). I enjoy using wolframalpha for the things that I know have easy answers (populations, distances and measurements of celestial bodies, time measurements--30 days ago) and give concrete numbers, but would require slightly more effort to pull out of wikipedia. I should test exact page load times for those queries from several geographically distinct locations on multiple browsers, but it's late and I'm now going to bed.

notknotnot 15y ago

Query: how many edges has a complete graph? Result: Consult complete graph. So not a very intelligent algorithm, no AI

twodayslate 15y ago

I hate monthly subscriptions. I would much rather pay a flat fee. Why do no companies do this anymore?

pixelmonkey 15y ago
Might have something to do with profits. Take a look at this calculation: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%24299+as+percent+of+%28%244.99+per+month+for+30+years%29 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%24299+as+percent+of+%2...

jwr 15y ago

I breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried that Wolfram has been investing so much into Alpha, all the while not making any money from it. Such unstable arrangements do not last. This looks like a viable way to earn money with that excellent service, which means it won't disappear any time soon. I'm glad to see that.

27182818284 15y ago

I use it for quick social arguments and commentary a lot. E.g., if you know the average age of a senator, and you want to know roughly what it was like when they were 18, you can do http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=minimum+wage+1969+adjusted+for+2011 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=minimum+wage+1969+adjus...