Planes overhead • Hacker News Board

Re: Planes overhead

#11

Post by kpozin » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 5:09 AM UTC

Even cooler: "planets overhead" http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=planets+overhead&a=...

Re: Planes overhead

#12

Post by pjin » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 5:12 AM UTC

frisco wrote: post #3

Wolfram Alpha might be the most advanced piece of web technology nobody needs.

Unless you need to compute integrals, enumerate Bessel functions, use fundamental constants, check units, quickly plot an arbitrary function, etc. In other words, it's an excellent technical calculator, or a more accessible and digestible version of Mathematica.

Re: Planes overhead

#13

Post by zachcb » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 5:14 AM UTC

Now if only I could type in "cars speeding by my house." Then I might be able to find out who's speeding in my neightborhood at 2:00AM.

Re: Planes overhead

#14

Post by jser » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 5:30 AM UTC

amandle wrote: post #9

slipperyp wrote: post #4

Where do they get data like speed, bearing, and altitude (at what looks like finer than 1 minute granularity)?

It says under the table "locations based on projections of delayed data" I would guess that they look at where a flight plan is going from and to and interpolate in between.

I think you're right -- it doesn't match FlightAware's FAA data at at all (at least when comparing in downtown Chicago). FlightAware had many more flights, including non-commercial and cargo.

Re: Planes overhead

#15

Post by benwerd » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 5:42 AM UTC

zachcb wrote: post #13

Now if only I could type in "cars speeding by my house." Then I might be able to find out who's speeding in my neightborhood at 2:00AM.

One day that'll be a Google result.

Re: Planes overhead

#16

Post by zbowling » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 5:43 AM UTC

works via siri!!! http://i.imgur.com/SgaeL.png

Re: Planes overhead

#17

Post by donniefitz2 » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 5:54 AM UTC

I work right in the flight path of a major airport. Planes overhead all day long. Now I can tell where they're going. Too cool.

Re: Planes overhead

#18

Post by thefool » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 6:00 AM UTC

frisco wrote: post #3

Wolfram Alpha might be the most advanced piece of web technology nobody needs.

Except that it is extremely useful as a powerful calculator for students and professionals doing technical things, and in the process of being very handy teaches people mathematica notation. Just because it's not necessarily aimed at the average person doesn't mean its not aimed at anyone.

I expect Wolfram alpha has done a lot to drive sales of mathematica.

Re: Planes overhead

#19

Post by tkrajcar » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 6:03 AM UTC

donniefitz2 wrote: post #17

I work right in the flight path of a major airport. Planes overhead all day long. Now I can tell where they're going. Too cool.

flightaware.com has allowed you to do this for years...

Re: Planes overhead

#20

Post by jrappleye » Sat, Nov 12, 2011, 6:23 AM UTC

mnutt wrote: post #5

Sadly Siri doesn't know "What planes are overhead?", though it figures it out if you say "Search wolfram alpha for planes overhead."

You can also query Wolfram by just saying "Wolfram," e.g. "Wolfram planes overhead". See http://www.tuaw.com/2011/10/28/10-cool-things-you-can-do-wit... for more things you can do with Wolfram and Siri.