August 2012 Summaries

Introducing the CartoDB Partners program, a versatile initiative designed for diverse industries and launched with several key partner organizations, including Development Gateway, SilverBiology, Simbiotica, and Vulsai, which bring unique expertise to enhance the impact of the CartoDB platform. These partnerships enable end users to receive high-quality deployment services, further extending the platform's reach into various sectors such as non-profit work, biotechnology, and digital creative agencies. By collaborating with these partner businesses, CartoDB aims to provide a more comprehensive experience for its users, while also expanding its presence in the market.

Code for America's open city tool NeighborDiff, powered by CartoDB, relies on local knowledge to map the evolution of Macon GA neighborhoods over five years. The project uses a shapefile from 2007 and incorporates input from neighborhood groups Habitat for Humanity and the College Hill Alliance. Users can monitor changes through a drag-and-drop interface, updating building statuses with fake click events. The goal is to create detailed maps showing current state and "diff" maps highlighting transformations, all accessible via a single table.

The Guardian's collaboration with an online activist has resulted in a time lapse map visualizing Syrian casualties since March 2011, which is part of the Syrian Revolution Martyr Database. The database collects detailed information on 22,601 deaths and is used by the UN, while also being made available to users through a website that was launched in early May 2011. The project's founder has ensured data completeness and quality by merging multiple independent sources, and The Guardian has provided editorial support for this project.