More Reason To Love Swivel
I first wrote about Swivel back in February. At the time, they were still in "preview" mode and hadn't yet released a public beta. The idea was that users could create charts and graphs online using data and then share their charts with others. They could also collaborate on data projects with colleagues.
Last month, they introduced Swivel G, which offers data-driven maps. Have a look at their mockup of world Muslim population:
One problem facing Swivel from the beginning has been data and sourcing. The Muslim data comes via Wikipedia, which is an obvious problem. While I wouldn't necessarily use this as a reporting tool, I would absolutely use this on my website to feature reporting that I've done.
This is a fantastic idea for smaller news organizations who either don't have ArcView experts on staff or can't afford to buy software or hire code monkeys. Seriously - have a go at Swivel G. And by all means, share what you create - just click on the link.
