Visualizing Information in Different Ways In a recent article,
Michael Friendly defines information visualization as the study
of "the visual representation of large-scale collections of non-
numerical information, such as files and lines of code in
software systems, library and bibliographic databases, networks
of relations on the internet, and so forth." This is an easily-
understood definition of a very complex process. Visualizing
information basically creates intuitive ways to display abstract
data. The various types and methods utilize the human eye's
broad bandwidth access to the mind to facilitate seeing,
exploring and understanding vast quantities of data
instantaneously. How it began The recent exploration of
techniques for visualizing information dates to the development
of computer graphics. In retrospect, the low level of available
graphics power is perceived as the reason that early techniques
have limited usefulness. Most programmers agree that the major
development of productive techniques dates