OK, the new1 Exhibit API is crazy fast. It still takes a second or so to load but once it’s up and running the selection speed is dramatically improved. DRAMATICALLY2.
I’ve been pitching the Simile project3, especially Exhibit, for quite a while for all sorts of educational uses. It really is fairly simple and allows you to create the kind of powerful data-driven interactive websites that would simply be impossible if you aren’t able to write code. You need to create these kind of interactive database sites because they are interactive and allow students to manipulate data and see it in a variety of contexts. That enables, and encourages, all sorts of processing and helps students see connections.
David Huynh and the rest of the people who are working on this BSD licensed project have really made some incredible speed improvements.
To change to the new API, just replace the original API reference in the header of your page (http://static.simile.mit.edu/exhibit/api-2.0/exhibit-api.js) with
http://api.simile-widgets.org/exhibit/2.2.0/exhibit-api.js = instant speed jump4.
As a way to force myself to do it, I’m going to take this pretty new API and attach it to this interesting data set on X Box games5. Why? Well, because I can and it’s awesome.
1 How new, I’m not sure. Allison C. from UR mentioned it in relation to the Confinder database last night and after seeing the speed improvements I’m changing all my Simile projects over ASAP.
2 Please note that I do not use all caps LIGHTLY.
3 Yeah, it’s like I work on commission for them but sadly they send me no money.
4 I didn’t have to rewrite anything so as far as I can tell you won’t have to change any of your main page but I’m not promising anything.
5 Check out the rest of their free data sets. A very interesting source which Dan, no doubt, has already found.