This is a JSON challenge, or a hackers wanted call. Specifically, I am looking
for leads on how to slurp up a JSON file and create a cool (or "kewl") Web
interface to the data. Let me explain.
I have created a small matrix consisting of about 125 rows by 125 columns. Each
row represents a book in the series called the Great Books of the Western
World. Columns include identifiers, word counts, grade levels, readability
scores, and integers I call "Great Idea Coefficients". For more information
about this data, see the blog posting. [1]
Here's the challenge:
1. convert the matrix into a JSON object
2. save the object as a file
3. write a Javascript library allowing the
patron to manipulate, aggregate, summarize,
chart, and display variations of the JSON
For example, slurp up the JSON and simply display a pretty list of all the
elements. Allow the user to sort the list by author, title, length, or any one
of the Coefficients. Allow the user to select only the items authored by
Shakespeare and display the same sort of... sorts. Allow the user to select all
the items with a love Coefficient greater than n, sort them by n, and
illustrate the result using a bar chart. Create a scatter plot denoting any
relationships between length of book and its "greatness". Allow the user to
drag and drop selected items into a container (a div element) and summarize
them according to grade level or readability. Etc.
The goal is to allow the patron to analyze the texts -- do "distant reading" --
and to create many different visualizations.
Ideally this Javascript library would exploit JQuery for all of its cool user
interface characteristics.
In the end, the techniques used to quantitatively describe the Great Books
could be applied to other texts (other books, blog postings, open access
journal articles, etc.), and this Javascript library could be used as a part of
a "next, next generation library catalog" or "discovery system".
Fun?
[1] blog - http://infomotions.com/blog/2010/09/great-books-data-dictionary/
--
Eric Morgan
University of Notre Dame
