WikiWebWikipedia Visualization

WikiWeb is a live, graphic visualization of Wikipedia designed and coded by Anthony Mattox using Processing. The project began in September of 2008, reconsidering how we browse the web, the project creates a visual representation which is not only functional, but aesthetically pleasing. Wikipedia is an appropriate subject as it is a celebration of our knowledge as a global community, and presents that information in a structure of both unbounded complexity and interconnectedness. This structure, invisible to the casual browser, is represented directly with this program.

While the piece may have lofty artistic goals, it’s mostly just supposed to be fun. Wikipedia is one of the 21st centuries greatest emerging pastimes, this is just a new way to meander around in cyberspace.

Note that all the links are gathered live on your machine. How well this runs depends both on your internet connection and processor speed. Remember you can hold space and click a page if it starts dragging its feet. In the spirit of both Wikipedia and Processing the source code is completely open source. However, like the rest of my work it is under a creative commons license allowing for any individual to reuse and remix as long as it is not used for any commercial ends. Any works based off of this must be released under the same licence. If you're using open sources, be open source.

Feel free to view the source code for WikiWeb or download the code and the data files. Remember the script, like the rest of my work is licenced with some rights reserved. The script or any part of the script can not be used for any commercial purposes and any derived work must share the same license and have a credit to this project. If you have any questions about the code I'd be happy to answer them. I may also post a breakdown of the code in my blog at some point.

If you have something to say about this you can leave a comment or email me. Any feedback would be great. This is an ongoing project, and although I have an idea of where I want this to go, it never hurts to have another perspective.

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Anthony Mattox is a digital media artists currently studying in the Interactive Media department at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Exploring computers as a media for a years he has recently begun working beyond software to create his own scripts. Primarily using Processing to create a variety of interactive applets and other programs. More of his work his work is available in his blog and portfolio on his site.

Andy Mangold was a key inspiration to the project. He and Bryan Connor continually provided their design critique and kept the project moving.