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Visualizing Open Source Contributions

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the do-you-see-what-i-see dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A student at UC Davis has created some stunning visualizations of open source software contributions, including Eclipse, Python, Apache httpd and Postgres. From the website: 'This visualization, called code_swarm, shows the history of commits in a software project. A commit happens when a developer makes changes to the code or documents and transfers them into the central project repository. Both developers and files are represented as moving elements. When a developer commits a file, it lights up and flies towards that developer. Files are colored according to their purpose, such as whether they are source code or a document. If files or developers have not been active for a while, they will fade away. A histogram at the bottom keeps a reminder of what has come before.'"

6 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Re:A bit silly; leaves too many questions.. by CrazedWalrus · · Score: 3, Informative

    Watching the video, it seems as if the placement is relative to other commits. The developer's name will always be in the center of the ring of his committed files. If those files were also committed by someone else, those two names float closer together to signify that they work on overlapping code. It's sort-of an animated Venn diagram.

    At least that's my interpretation of it from watching the videos.

  2. Re:Needs flash 9 by mebrahim · · Score: 4, Informative

    You may download the original video if you sign up for a Vimeo account.

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    Persian Project Management Software as a Service
  3. Re:Your server was coded by a hamster by Osurak · · Score: 4, Informative

    This happens when somebody not versed enough in obscure American culture attempts a joke at Slashdot... Monty Python is British.
  4. Re:Your server was coded by a hamster by Ken_g6 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Well, that may be, but I found his real name anyway:

    Ken Coar (no relation to this Ken.)

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    (T>t && O(n)--) == sqrt(666)
  5. Re:Neuromancer's Cyberspace Cometh by ClassMyAss · · Score: 3, Informative

    Now if someone could make those visualizations interactive GUIs to archives and people, we might finally be getting somewhere. While I'm not sure entirely what that means, it's worth mentioning that this visualization was created in Processing, a Java dialect/IDE geared towards rapid prototyping of exactly that type of thing (highly interactive visualizations), particularly aimed at people that aren't experienced programmers. Ben Fry, the main coder for the project, does a lot of interesting data visualization stuff, and even wrote a whole book about data visualization, which is definitely worth checking out.
  6. Re:Commits are a bad measure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Not only that, but there are other ways to contribute to open source software, such as distribution, exposure & demonstration, solidifying reputation through adoption, documentation, art, maintaining other project resources (moderating a forum, designing a web site, newsletters) etc...