visualization, analysis, and next-gen tech

Microsoft’s new new mashup editor reminds me of the days of yore when visual programming was bandied about as an alternative to entrenched procedural coding. Popfly uses Silverlight, a web-based rich UI environment that is Microsoft’s answer to Flash. On the left you have a tabbed collection of tools, on the right, your mashup pane. Drag a feeder like Digg onto the mashup, and then drag on a guage. Connect the two and press preview. Very interesting, just like the visual programing paradigms of old.

You can also create web pages and other bits of goodness. Give it a look. And remember, even Silverlight can’t fix typos.