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

[Dave Olszewski]

(reposting from the email that might actually be subscribed to the list)

I saw this article last year which puts to words nicely the issues you
and I seem to have with it:

http://unqualified-reservations.blogspot.com/2009/07/wolfram-alpha-and-hubristic-user.html

"The apps are useful and fine and good. The natural-language UI is a
monstrous encumbrance, which needs to be taken out back and shot. It
won't be."

     Dave

On Thu, 4 Mar 2010, Kevin Fink wrote:

> 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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>>
>