SPUG: WolframAlpha - a great GUI and API for computing everyday knowledge

[Kevin Fink]

I have a hard time with the UI. They never seem to be able to parse any
useful query I come up with. For example, I would love to see a graph of the
number of large earthquakes per year over the past 100 years or so. I tried
"number of earthquakes > 6.0 per year", "number of earthquakes per year >
6.0", and various other permutations, but couldn't get it to tell me
anything useful at all.

Kevin

On Thu, Mar 4, 2010 at 12:35 PM, Michael R. Wolf <MichaelRWolf at att.net>wrote:

> Stephen Wolfram (of Mathematica fame) has created www.WolframAlpha.com, an
> effort to create a GUI and API "to make all systematic knowledge immediately
> computable by everyone".
>
>  - Of course, simple stuff is simple: 2 * 3 ^ 4:
> http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%202%20*%203%20^%204
>
>  - Medium stuff is beautiful: plot sin x cos y:
> http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=plot+sin+x+cos+y
>
> It gets almost ridiculously fun, helpful, and useful...
>
>  - Generate a CAPTCHA:
> http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=CAPTCHA+Wolfram+Alpha
>  - Compare screen resolutions:
> http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=VGA%2C+SVGA%2C+SXGA%2C+QXGA%2C+WXGA
>  - Compare GDP of 3 countries: gdp france, england, australia:
> http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=gdp%20france%2C%20england%2C%20australia
>  - Pick an afternoon snack:
> http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=10+peanut+M%26Ms%2C+2+slices+of+swiss+cheese%2C+1+apple
>
> There are *loads* of information sources stashed in there in realms that
> folks like you would be interested in: linguistics, material science, units
> & measures, computer systems, materials, chemistry, life science.
>
>  - http://www.wolframalpha.com/examples/
>
> It's rich.  Very rich, in deed....
>
> In fact, digging around in the siesmology data, I accidently found out
> about the Chile earthquake (while looking for Haiti) before it hit print,
> and when there was only 1 article in the Google cache.
>
>  - earthquakes 2010 with magnitude > 6.0:
> http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=earthquakes+2010+with+magnitude+%3E+6.0
>
> Have fun.  Report back with your favorite find.
>
> Enjoy,
> Michael
>
> P.S.  I haven't even looked at the API, but imagine how cool that could be
> mashed up....
>
> P.P.S.  There's also an iPhone app.  Great for resolving "bar bets" of the
> quantatative kind, like why is Tungsten (think W - Wolfram) is a better
> incandescent filament than copper or iron
>  - http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=tungston%2C+copper%2C+iron
>
> --
> Michael R. Wolf
>    All mammals learn by playing!
>        MichaelRWolf at att.net
>
>
>
>
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