Open source data visualization software allows individuals to analyze large datasets for free using different types of graphs and charts. More complex data requires advanced visualization software, such as network analysis. Open source software can save money, but may not have advanced features. Web services can create graphics, such as word clouds. Open source software benefits individuals who cannot afford proprietary software and allows programmers to contribute new source code.
A dataset can contain a huge amount of information. It can, however, be difficult to discern any of this information by looking at individual entries. Open source data visualization software allows data analysts and other individuals to illustrate and analyze specific information from large datasets for free.
The different types of information are best illustrated with different types of graphs, charts or graphs. Simple data visualization examples include line charts and pie charts. Line charts show trends in the change of numerical data over time, such as fluctuating product prices or sales numbers. Pie charts show concentrations of data categories, such as the percentage of voters who selected a particular candidate for office or demographic information about those voters.
More sophisticated information requires more complex visualisations. Network analysis, a growing area in quantitative research, is one such method that requires advanced visualization software. This involves creating graphs of the connections between different data items to discern insight into the complex relationships between the data points. Creating a visual representation of such a network from a data set requires software capable of performing the necessary calculations to automatically place nodes, which represent individual data items, in three-dimensional space to be connected with lines.
Businesses and independent analysts can purchase proprietary software that can create both basic and advanced data visualizations. An alternative to paying for these programs is to use open source data visualization software. Programmers create open source software by posting the source code of their programs on the Internet for anyone to download, view, and compile. Since the source code is freely available on the Internet, the software can be used free of charge by anyone. Open source visualization software can save businesses and data analysts money, but it may not have the more advanced features that proprietary software, which must be purchased, might include.
Open source data visualization software can also take the form of web services that use a site’s content as a dataset. These can create graphics, such as word clouds. These are collections of common words on the website, and the more frequently a particular word appears, the larger its size will be compared to other words.
The price of proprietary software can put open source data visualization products out of reach for many individuals, such as amateur bloggers or students. These people can benefit greatly, however, from being able to integrate this type of graphics into their websites or research projects using open source data visualization software. Due to the open source nature of this software, any programmer can contribute new source code, to add new features and functionality, to anyone who chooses to use it.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
