[ba-ohs-talk] TouchGraph WikiBrowser
Hey guys, check out the newly created TouchGraph WikiBrowser, (screen shot:
http://www.touchgraph.com/TGWB_100.jpg , download:
http://www.touchgraph.com/TGWB_100.zip ) (01)
"The WikiBrowser is a quick demonstration of how TouchGraph can be used to
visualize a Wiki. The current demo renders the MeatBall Wiki Link Database
http://www.usemod.com/cgi-bin/mb.pl?LinkDatabase but any database encoded
in a similar format could be displayed. The best part of the interface is
that it really gives one a sence of how any given page fits in context with
the rest of the pages. Another bonus is that backlinks are clearly visible. (02)
The downside is that currently the database must be stored as a local file,
and thus the graph will age unless manually updated. However, this issue
would not be too hard to resolve by doing some coding on the MeatBall side
of things. (03)
The user is presented with a split view, with a conventional html browser
on the left side of the screen, and a graph of a local region of the Wiki
on the right. When the mouse is moved over a hyperlink in the browser pane
for which the corresponding node is visible in the graph, the node is
colored light blue. Following a hyperlink reorients the graph around the
corresponding node." (04)
The inspiration for this visualization actually came from Peter Jones' code
for rendering the ohs backlink DB. Thanks Peter. (05)
So... for this particular Wiki I would say that the visualization is pretty
useful. In fact, I found myself turning to the java app instead of the
browser when I needed to look up a page whose name I had forgotten. (06)
What do you think? (07)
--Alex (08)