Programming cloud software
 

Hello,

Please can you tell me how to learn how to program desktop software to visualise data? (e.g. like Tableau and Microsoft Power BI). I can program php/mysql websites and understand relational databases. I'm involved in an industry niche that requires data to be displayed in formats different to what the current market providers can do - not more complicated, just different.

Thanks,

MrS

Given that Tableau charges $42 US per user, per month, I am not surprised you are looking to find a cheaper solution. The price reflects the time taken to produce the programs/routines to display the pretty graphics, all of which can be replicated using free software (Libre Office) or existing commercial products such as Microsoft Office.

Programming experience with C++ or Visual Basic will be an advantage as extensive use of macro functions will be required to produce the custom displays.

Visualisation software can be useful in highlighting hidden links within data sets such as the correlation between the phases of the moon and an increase in crime, or increased admissions of psychiatric patients. The danger is that these highlighted links look very plausible within the limits of a single data set, or even a combination of sets. This is because the human mind looks for patterns, even in completely random data.

There are links in the above mentioned examples, but not for the reasons that are commonly assumed.

A browse through some articles on unconscious psychological bias and the deliberate misrepresentation of data may prove fruitful in assisting you to come to the conclusion that you really don't need to use this software at all, unless you are in the business of deliberately deceiving people or obfuscating results.

It's for automating the production and distribution of complex tables of data (too complex for pivot tables), without needing VBA knowledge. (I know how to code VBA but I want to create software that will stop companies from having to employ VBA programmers / 'analysts'). I'm wondering how the person that started Tableau started on day 1? How does one go about coding desktop software?

Pretty sure it started as a university degree course project.