I’m a big fan of public databases, the live web and storytelling. I think they all give new opportunities for interactive and online storytelling. Twitter itself a very interesting database. Because it tells you what is going on and the API is very good.
About “I voted”
The next days American citizens will vote for either McCain or Obama. My guess is a lot of Twitter users will say on Twitter when, and on who they voted. This Flash application uses Twitter Search to see who voted on who. The animation automatically updates with the most recent tweet.
Queries
For this animation I use search.twitter.com (used to be summize.com)
The query: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%22i+voted%22+%2B+McCain+OR+Obama+-twitvote
21 replies on “I voted, storytelling with public databases”
If you like to build something with the code you can download the source code here: http://lab.wilbertbaan.nl/ivoted.fla
Hmzzz, volgens mij is er iets mis met de fla.. kan hem niet openen.
Het is een cs4 file, zou dat een probleem kunnen zijn?
By the way this flash gimmick is just a mock up to shows that there is interesting data in those public databases as long as you ask the right questions and use the right presentation.
I’m not a very good programmer, so excuses for the code. But hey, it works :)
The Flash file was made using a trial version of CS4, I’ll see tonight if I can save it as an older version.
Ah that should be it…
Ik zet vanavond wel even een oudere file neer, zie dat er ook wat mis gaat als de plaatjes groot zijn.
great idea :) Why not make live bar charts and / or time graphs from the same data? You’ll have an up to date twitter poll!
That would be interesting as well. Only I am not that good with databases. I can only build flashy stuff on XML feeds by others :) But it would be nice to store this information.
Also nice: http://behindthecandidates.com and http://twittervotereport.com
[…] response, and as an addition, to Wilbert Baans’ storytelling with public databases, I made a little twitter scraper. It indexed all twits for the query […]
I made a little script, doing the scraping and database stuff for you ;) Have a look at http://wordpress.justlol.net/?p=638, you might want to embed it in your flv.
Wow, cool Erik.
So far the mood on Twitter is pro Obama.
Let’s see if I can read your numbers…
just made u some ids: twits, obama, mccain, unrecognized. Output their nodeValues and you’re done.
Cool, I’ll start trying it in a moment. This afternoon in the train I made a second version of the animation. I’m uploading it right now.
[…] Comments Wilbert Cool, I’ll start trying it in a moment. This afternoon in th… erik just made u some ids: twits, obama, mccain, unrecognized. O… Wilbert Wow, cool Erik. So […]
@erik voila
[…] Comments Wilbert @erik voila https://www.wilbertbaan.nl/wordpress/2008/11/… Wilbert Cool, I’ll start trying it in a moment. This afternoon in th… erik just made u some […]
[…] second version of the first experiment. In this window you can sort Twitter messages on certain words. Try to work with two words or use […]
[…] animations that led to this animation 1. https://www.wilbertbaan.nl/wordpress/2008/11/02/i-voted-storytelling-with-public-databases/ 2. https://www.wilbertbaan.nl/wordpress/2008/11/03/we-say-twittertalk/ Written by […]
[…] I made the first the first animation Erik Borra replied by developing the idea into something that stores the data retrieved from […]
[…] couple of innovative ways of using Twitter are the I voted widget and the Twitter Exit Polls, showing how Twitterers voted. And Mashable has combines tweets and […]