projects / tools.git / blame
search:
summary | shortlog | log | commit | commitdiff | tree
plain | HEAD | blame
edits
[tools.git] / index.md
Maxious 1 Welcome to the GovHack toolkit. This page provides all the information you need to prepare hackfest entries.
2 These tools can be used to make entries like: mobile apps, web apps, data visualisations/infographics
3
Maxious 4
5 # General Data Hacking and Programming References {#general-data-hacking-and-programming-references}
Maxious 6 ## The basics of being a data scientist
Maxious 7
8 * Have a hypothesis - even if you're making a tool/api that helps people with their questions too, remember what the objective of that is.
9 * Find the people and tools you need to prove/show/find. This rest of this page will help with the latter.
10 * Analyse and present results - were they what you expected? Do they help explain to others what you have found out? Can present as a interactive data visualisation or a web/mobile application or just a infographic/motion graphics video that tells a story.
11 Please note, there are a combination of Analysis and Visualisation tools in each of the major categories below.
12
Maxious 13
14 [![](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_m6a65720f-300x199.gif "Data Journalism Diagram")](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_m6a65720f.gif)</dt>
maxious 15 Illustration from Data Journalism Handbook, CC BY-SA 3.0</dd>
Maxious 16
maxious 17
Maxious 18 The best high level reference is the 'Understanding Data' and 'Delivering Data' chapters of the Data Journalism Handbook which is available online for free at
19
20 [datajournalismhandbook.org](http://datajournalismhandbook.org/)
21
22 You can learn the technical skills from scratch in Visualize This: The FlowingData Guide to Design, Visualization, and Statistics by Nathan Yau or for more advanced
23
24 practical advice check out Data Analysis with Open Source Tools by Philipp K. Janert
maxious 25
Maxious 26 For further reading in this space
27
28 [http://flowingdata.com/2012/04/27/data-and-visualization-blogs-worth-following/](http://flowingdata.com/2012/04/27/data-and-visualization-blogs-worth-following/)
29
30
31 **Statistics**
32
33 [http://greenteapress.com/thinkstats/html/index.html](http://greenteapress.com/thinkstats/html/index.html)
34
35 **Programming**
36
37 Programming is valuable skill for manipulating and displaying data.
38
39 Basic tutorials for a variety of languages are available for free online or you can learn
40
41 interactively with websites like [http://www.codecademy.com/](http://www.codecademy.com/#!/exercises/0). for JavaScript or [http://www.learnpython.org/ ](http://www.learnpython.org/)or [http://tryruby.org](http://tryruby.org/)
42
43 [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/JavaScript](https://developer.mozilla.org/en/JavaScript) - especially for web applications and visualisations, you'll need a basic understanding of JS. Common libraries like prototype or jQuery can help
44
45 **Accessibility/User Experience**
46
47 WCAG guidelines not only make a web app accessible but make it a better experience for all users! Even if not making an app, good to consider these things to do and not do: [http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/](http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/)
maxious 48
Maxious 49 ## Who can be a hack day participant
maxious 50 - roles; coder, designer UX/graphics
Maxious 51
52 ## Definitions
53 - definitions, open licence reuse permissive hacker hack data journalism data bis UCX etc.
54
55 ## key datasets
56 - key datasets, directory.gov.au gazetter/AEC electorates/suburbs/postcodes/LGAs
57
58 ## examples
59
60 ## The Open Budget
61
62 ## WeatherTree weather API
63
64 ## PlanningAlerts
65
66 [![Planning Alerts Screenshot](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_2f0199ff1-300x221.png "Planning Alerts Screenshot")](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_2f0199ff1.png)Description: Planning Alerts takes data from local government development applications and sends alerts to users based on what applications are lodged in their area.
67
68 Programming Language: Ruby
69
70 Source Control: [Git](https://github.com/openaustralia/planningalerts-app)
71
72 Issue Tracking: [Atlassian JIRA](http://tickets.openaustraliafoundation.org.au/browse/PA/)
73
74 ## LobbyLens
75
76 [![](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/129-Screenshot-LobbyClue_-_Chromium-300x180.png "LobbyLens screenshot")](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/129-Screenshot-LobbyClue_-_Chromium.png)
77
78 Description: Displays connections between government contracts, business details, politician responsibilities, lobbyists, clients of lobbyists, political donors and the location of these entities.
79
80 Programing Language: PHP
81
82 Source Control: SVN (Subversion)
83
84 Issue Tracking: A whiteboard
85
86 ## Bus.lambdacomplex.org
87
88 [![](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_3789acae-300x253.jpg "Bus.lambda screenshot")](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_3789acae.jpg)
89
90 Description: Online Canberra Bus Timetables and Trip Planner.
91
92 Programing Language: PHP/Ruby
93
94 Source Control: Git
95
96 Issue Tracking: Github
97
98
99 ## Developer Tools For Your Computer {#developer-tools-for-your-computer}
100
101 server admin / technical tools
102 many projects will require some kind of internet presence, webpage etc.
103 - css framework like bootstrap or zurb foundation
104 video tools, youtube video editor/slideshow, FOSS video editing tools
105 - http://ubuntu-tutorials.com/2008/11/11/relaying-postfix-smtp-via-smtpgmailcom/
106 - amon
107
108 ### Source Control
109 Git / Subversion
110
Maxious 111 [![](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-at-2012-04-29-172132-300x235.png "Git Screenshot")](http://progit.org/book/)
112
113 [http://progit.org/book/](http://progit.org/book/)
114
Maxious 115 [http://svnbook.red-bean.com/](http://svnbook.red-bean.com/)
116
117 [http://tortoisesvn.net/](http://tortoisesvn.net/)
maxious 118
119 [http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/](http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/)
Maxious 120
121 ### Task Tracking -
122
123 Issue/task trackers allow you to outline the tasks required for your project and assign them to people to do.
124
125 [Trello](https://trello.com/) and [Workflowy](https://workflowy.com/) are free, lightweight project management tools suitable for a rapid project!
126
127 ## Hosted Developer Tools {#hosted-developer-tools}
128
129 Can get many tools (source control, issue tracking) combined into one service cloud hosted so no setup required.
130
131 ### Github
132 Git obviously but svn/hg interfaces are possible. Provide their own GUI for Windows/OSX or use the variety of Git capable tools
133
134 ### Sourceforge
135
136 Subversion, Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, CVS, issue tracker, wiki, release file downloads. Unlimited free use for open source projects.
Maxious 137
138 You can create your own Sourceforge project at [http://sourceforge.net/](http://sourceforge.net/)
139
140 ### Google Code Project Hosting
141
142 Git, Mercurial, and Subversion code. Issue tracker, wiki, release file downloads. Unlimited free use for open source projects.
143
144 You can host your Google Code project and get access to developer tools, APIs and documentation at [http://code.google.com/](http://code.google.com/)
145
146
147
148 # API Development {#api-development}
149
150
151 So an API isn't just an XML file ![;)](http://www.govhack.org/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
152
153 A good web based data API:
154
155 * Is logically organised
156 * Can filter returned data
157 * Can return results in different open formats (CSV/JSON etc.)
Alex Sadleir 158 * Is efficient and responsive by using caching and databases appropriately
Maxious 159 * Handles errors gracefully
160 * Monitors and controls access (to show benefit realised of API and prevent abuse)
maxious 161 * Provides appropriate documentation with examples
162
163 Some people like sensis [http://](http://developers.sensis.com.au/)[developers.sensis.com.<wbr>au</wbr>](http://developers.sensis.com.au/)[/](http://developers.sensis.com.au/) use a provider like[http://](http://mashery.com/)[mashery.com](http://mashery.com/)[/](http://mashery.com/) or [https](https://apigee.com/)[://](https://apigee.com/)[apigee.com](https://apigee.com/) or [http://](http://apiaxle.com/)[apiaxle.com](http://apiaxle.com/)[/](http://apiaxle.com/) or [http://www.3scale.net/](http://www.3scale.net/) which handles making a good API for them.
164
165 Atlassian have a great page on what makes a good API [https](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[://](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[developer.atlassian.<wbr>com</wbr>](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[/display/REST/](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[Atlassian](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[+<wbr>REST+API+Design+Guidelines+<wbr>version+1</wbr></wbr>](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)
166
167 API
168 - howto.gov api tutorial
169 - http://shancarter.com/data_converter/
170 - http://training.sunlightfoundation.com/module/data-visualizations-google-docs/
171 - api documentation
172 - WSDL or http://swagger.wordnik.com/ or https://github.com/mashery/iodocs
173 - http://symfony.com/ https://github.com/FriendsOfSymfony/FOSRestBundle http://williamdurand.fr/2012/08/02/rest-apis-with-symfony2-the-right-way/ https://github.com/nelmio/NelmioApiDocBundle better apis https://github.com/liip/LiipHelloBundle
174 - https://github.com/elc/rapi_doc https://github.com/Pajk/apipie-rails
175 -
176 http://amberonrails.com/building-stripes-api/
Maxious 177
178
179 # Infographics and Data Visualisation {#data-visualisation}
180
181 Infographics try to contextualise charts and graphs to tell a story. Data vis builds on this to find new ways to design insight.
182
183 Most of the categories to follow have visualisation tools specific to their purpose.
184
185 You can find some data visualisation tools below:
Maxious 186
Maxious 187 [http://www.visualisingdata.com/index.php/2011/07/part-6-the-essential-collection-of-visualisation-resources/](http://www.visualisingdata.com/index.php/2011/07/part-6-the-essential-collection-of-visualisation-resources/)
188
Alex Sadleir 189 Also check out [http://thejit.org](http://thejit.org/) &amp; [http://www.senchalabs.org/<wbr>philogl/</wbr>](http://www.senchalabs.org/philogl/) (contributed by Matt Adcock)
190
191 Have to use visual art concepts, good color schemes http://www.r-bloggers.com/t