MacSpin: dynamic graphics on a desktop computer

Author

Donoho, Andrew W. ; Donoho, David L. ; Gasko, Miriam

Volume

8

Issue

4

fYear

1988

fDate

7/1/1988 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

51

Lastpage

58

Abstract

The authors describe how MacSpin, a program for dynamic display of multivariate data, and its user interface facilitate a high level of interaction between analyst and data. MacSpin uses rotation to display 3-D scatterplots, and offers such dynamic graphics primitives as animation, identification, and highlighting. With these features the user can visually find trends, clusters, and other patterns in multivariate data as well as highly unusual observations (outliers). The program offers a broad range of data manipulation and calculation features that allow the user to transform, edit, and categorize data as patterns in the display indicate. MacSpin also provides display options and a number of statistical summaries. The authors describe how the program is used on real data. They discuss some history of dynamic graphics, the program´s environment and user interface, and experiences and conclusions.<>

Keywords

Apple computers; computer graphics; mathematics computing; microcomputer applications; statistical analysis; user interfaces; 3-D scatterplots; Apple Macintosh; MacSpin; animation; data manipulation; desktop computer; dynamic graphics; highlighting; identification; mathematics computing; multivariate data; user interface; Acceleration; Animation; Computer displays; Computer graphics; Data analysis; Mice; Radio access networks; Scattering; Three dimensional displays; User interfaces;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Computer Graphics and Applications, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0272-1716

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/38.7749

Filename

7749