The Language of Data Visualization

Fallthrough

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:

• 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:
  • https://speakerdeck.com/ajstarks/du-bois-challenge-2024-recap
  • https://speakerdeck.com/ajstarks/challenge2023
  • https://speakerdeck.com/ajstarks/curating-the-number-duboischallenge2022
• little languages
• Du Bois Data Portraits
• Black Lives 1900
• Fyne Canvas:
  • https://speakerdeck.com/ajstarks/fc-a-high-level-canvas-api-for-the-fyne-toolkit
  • https://github.com/ajstarks/fc
• Giocanvas:
  • https://speakerdeck.com/ajstarks/giocanvas-a-high-level-canvas-api-for-gio
  • https://github.com/ajstarks/giocanvas
• ebiten canvas:
  • https://github.com/ajstarks/ebcanvas
• "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)

Hosts

• Anthony Starks - Guest
• Angelica Hill - Producer
• Matthew Sanabria - Host
• Kris Brandow - Producer

Socials:

• Website
• Bluesky
• Threads
• X/Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

• (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