5 ms·

Show HN: Interactive Visualization of Influence in Programming Languages

51 points by yaph 14y ago

zackzackzack 14y ago
A general tip for graphs with small points: if you use a clipped voronoi diagram to trigger mouse interactions, then the graph becomes much easier to navigate. Basically, the graph gets split up into regions that make efficient but intuitive use of the space. See here for an example with d3: http://bl.ocks.org/1405439 http://bl.ocks.org/1405439 Otherwise, way cool.
- yaph 14y ago
  Not sure how I would apply this technique in this particular case, maybe you can give me another hint.
  - zackzackzack 14y ago
    For hovering over each language, it would make it much easier to select the smaller dots.
gtani 14y ago
Very nice. (Some prior threads on lines of influence) http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4194460 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4194460 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3409774 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3409774 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3920619 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3920619
pav3l 14y ago
I'm curious where you got your data for the graph? For example, I don't understand how R is influenced by Scheme, and S is isn't.
- yaph 14y ago
  The data is from Freebase http://www.freebase.com/view/computer/programming_language http://www.freebase.com/view/computer/programming_language and the code to get the data is in this GitHub repo https://github.com/exploringdata/programming-languages-influence https://github.com/exploringdata/programming-languages-influ.... From Wikipedia's R page: "R is an implementation of the S programming language combined with lexical scoping semantics inspired by Scheme." Guess that explains it.
Toshio 14y ago
Is it just me, or is the programming language called Clean not on there? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_(programming_language) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_(programming_language)
- yaph 14y ago
  It's included, choose "Functional Programming" and move your mouse over Haskell, it is one of the influenced languages (blue edge).
geekgirlweb 14y ago
Hm, I would have thought that PHP would have been larger/visible on the graph.
- nivla 14y ago
  Same here. I was surprised to see it not even being listed despite OP's original data source having it. http://www.freebase.com/view/computer/programming_language http://www.freebase.com/view/computer/programming_language
  - yaph 14y ago
    PHP is a small node, according to the data source it has influenced only 2 languages. The fact that PHP is widely used doesn't make it influential on other languages, in the case of PHP the opposite may be true. To find PHP in this random layout restrict the paradigm to "Interpreted language" and move your mouse over Python, the PHP label will show up.
mgallivan 14y ago
What does the size of each vertex represent? Also, how do you lay out the graphs?
- yaph 14y ago
  The size is based on the number of languages influenced across all paradigms, the layout is random.
wladimir 14y ago
Very cool graph. Small nit: "C" and "Pascal" overlap in position, it appears to be impossible (at least in Chrome) to select "Pascal". Edit: never mind, it's randomized every time :) But maybe it's a good idea to add some collision avoidance.
- yaph 14y ago
  Yes, I may be going to preprocess the graph using Gephi and/or see what I can do with sigma, it was my 1st project with this library.

51 points by yaph 14y ago

A general tip for graphs with small points: if you use a clipped voronoi diagram to trigger mouse interactions, then the graph becomes much easier to navigate. Basically, the graph gets split up into regions that make efficient but intuitive use of the space. See here for an example with d3: http://bl.ocks.org/1405439 http://bl.ocks.org/1405439 Otherwise, way cool.

yaph 14y ago
Not sure how I would apply this technique in this particular case, maybe you can give me another hint.
- zackzackzack 14y ago
  For hovering over each language, it would make it much easier to select the smaller dots.

gtani 14y ago

Very nice. (Some prior threads on lines of influence) http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4194460 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4194460 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3409774 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3409774 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3920619 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3920619

pav3l 14y ago

I'm curious where you got your data for the graph? For example, I don't understand how R is influenced by Scheme, and S is isn't.

yaph 14y ago
The data is from Freebase http://www.freebase.com/view/computer/programming_language http://www.freebase.com/view/computer/programming_language and the code to get the data is in this GitHub repo https://github.com/exploringdata/programming-languages-influence https://github.com/exploringdata/programming-languages-influ.... From Wikipedia's R page: "R is an implementation of the S programming language combined with lexical scoping semantics inspired by Scheme." Guess that explains it.

Toshio 14y ago

Is it just me, or is the programming language called Clean not on there? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_(programming_language) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_(programming_language)

yaph 14y ago
It's included, choose "Functional Programming" and move your mouse over Haskell, it is one of the influenced languages (blue edge).

geekgirlweb 14y ago

Hm, I would have thought that PHP would have been larger/visible on the graph.

nivla 14y ago
Same here. I was surprised to see it not even being listed despite OP's original data source having it. http://www.freebase.com/view/computer/programming_language http://www.freebase.com/view/computer/programming_language
- yaph 14y ago
  PHP is a small node, according to the data source it has influenced only 2 languages. The fact that PHP is widely used doesn't make it influential on other languages, in the case of PHP the opposite may be true. To find PHP in this random layout restrict the paradigm to "Interpreted language" and move your mouse over Python, the PHP label will show up.

mgallivan 14y ago

What does the size of each vertex represent? Also, how do you lay out the graphs?

yaph 14y ago
The size is based on the number of languages influenced across all paradigms, the layout is random.

wladimir 14y ago

Very cool graph. Small nit: "C" and "Pascal" overlap in position, it appears to be impossible (at least in Chrome) to select "Pascal". Edit: never mind, it's randomized every time :) But maybe it's a good idea to add some collision avoidance.

yaph 14y ago
Yes, I may be going to preprocess the graph using Gephi and/or see what I can do with sigma, it was my 1st project with this library.