The Language of Data Visualization
Little languages are powerful. From text processing with AWK to calculations with APL, domain specific languages help us do things more concisely and with more precision than with other languages. Anthony Starks knows this well, as he's designed several little languages, including decksh, the focus of this episode, which allows users to create powerful presentations without the hassle of pushing around pixels in Powerpoint. He joins Angelica and Matt to discuss the background of why he created these languages, how they work, and so much more. And we have some fantastic unpopular opinions to round out the episode.
This episode's supporter content is truly fantastic. It includes an extended conversation where the group discusses data visualization in depth, including how Anthony was able to recreate graphics from W. E. B. Du Bois that are challenging or impossible to recreate with regular data visualization tools. Get access by signing up at https://fallthrough.fm/subscribe.
Thanks for tuning in and happy listening!
Notes:
This episode's supporter content is truly fantastic. It includes an extended conversation where the group discusses data visualization in depth, including how Anthony was able to recreate graphics from W. E. B. Du Bois that are challenging or impossible to recreate with regular data visualization tools. Get access by signing up at https://fallthrough.fm/subscribe.
Thanks for tuning in and happy listening!
Notes:
- entr
- https://speakerdeck.com/ajstarks/interactive-image-manipulation-with-popi
- https://speakerdeck.com/ajstarks/giftsh-a-dsl-and-shell-for-image-editing
- decksh object reference
- decksh
- giftsh
- giftsh code
- 2025 Du Bois Challenge
- Du Bois challenge overviews and recaps:
- little languages
- Du Bois Data Portraits
- Black Lives 1900
- Fyne Canvas:
- Giocanvas:
- ebiten canvas:
- "Like"
Table of Contents:
- Prologue (01:29)
- Chapter 1: Why Make DSLs? (04:49)
- Chapter 2: decksh (09:57)
- Chapter 3: Visualizing Data [Supporter Only] (23:34)
- Chapter 4: Documentation (24:22)
- Chapter 5: Metaprogramming (37:33)
- Chpater 6: Good Tools (45:13)
- Appendix UNPOP: Unpopular Opinions (54:23)
- Epilogue (01:08:21)
Socials:
- (01:29) - Prologue
- (04:49) - Chapter 1: Why Make DSLs?
- (09:57) - Chapter 2: decksh
- (23:34) - Chapter 3: Visualizing Data [Supporter Only]
- (24:22) - Chapter 4: Documentation
- (37:33) - Chapter 5: Metaprogramming
- (45:13) - Chpater 6: Good Tools
- (54:23) - Appendix UNPOP: Unpopular Opinions
- (01:08:21) - Epilogue
Creators and Guests
Host
Matthew Sanabria
Matthew is an engineering leader focused on building reliable, scalable, and observable systems. Matthew is known for using his breadth and depth of experience to add value in minimal context situations and help great people become great engineers through mentoring. Matthew serves the Go community as a member of GoBridge. In his spare time, Matthew spends time with his family, helps grow his wife's chocolate business, works on home improvement projects, and reads technical resources to learn and tinker.
Guest
Anthony Starks
Anthony is an independent developer/designer interested in data visualization, generative art, building tools, and combining Art+Code. Anthony has created several open-source tools including SVGo (SVG generation), deck/decksh (markup and domain-specific languages for information displays and presentations), and dchart (a charting package built in deck). In 2019 he made digital re-creations of the Du Bois Data Stories using decksh. Since 2021, Anthony has curated the annual "Du Bois Challenge", a 10-week exercise which encourages practitioners to re-create a the Du Bois visualizations and share them online.
