January 2011 Summaries

Go Daddy, the leading web hosting provider and largest domain name registrar, has integrated Google's mod_pagespeed into its Linux web hosting services to enhance website performance as part of Google's "Make The Web Faster" initiative. Mod_pagespeed is an open-source module for Apache web servers that automatically optimizes web content by applying performance best practices, which include improvements for JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and image formats like JPEG and PNG. This feature, which is now available to Go Daddy customers, has led to significant reductions in webpage load times, as evidenced by examples like the photo-blog AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com experiencing a 48% decrease in load time. The module speeds up initial site visits by reducing payload size and enhancing compression, while repeat visits benefit from more efficient caching and minimized resource sizes. Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons highlighted the straightforward implementation and significant benefits for businesses, emphasizing the importance of faster websites for user experience and business outcomes.

Google Analytics announced the release of 127 new dimensions and metrics via its Data Export API, enhancing the availability of data previously accessible only through the reporting UI. These additions include metrics such as unique visitors, which now supports a broader range of valid combinations, and organic searches, as well as 10 new AdWords dimensions like Matched Query and Placement Domain. The update introduces three new time dimensions to facilitate graph plotting and 111 calculated metrics to streamline common report calculations like bounce rate and cost per conversion, aligning them with the UI's capabilities. To aid users in navigating this expanded dataset, Google launched an interactive search tool that allows users to easily find dimensions and metrics with a search-as-you-type feature and determine valid dimension-metric combinations. The Google Analytics API team, represented by Jeetendra Soneja and Ivanna Kartarahardja, invites feedback from users in their developer group.

Google Summer of Code 2011 was announced during the linux.conf.au (LCA) in Brisbane, despite recent floods affecting the area, as the open source community gathered for the event. Carol Smith from the Google Open Source Programs Office introduced the program, which is in its seventh year and aims to engage college and university students worldwide in open source software development. Google Summer of Code offers stipends to students for writing code for various open source projects, guided by mentoring organizations from across the globe. Over the past six years, the program has seen participation from 4,500 students across 85 countries, and this year, Google plans to increase the number of accepted student applications and mentoring organizations by 25%. The initiative is designed to help students tackle academic challenges during their summer break while contributing to open source projects, and interested students and organizations are encouraged to visit the Google Summer of Code 2011 website for more information.

Google Project Hosting announced a new feature that allows developers to edit source code files directly in their browser using an online editor powered by CodeMirror, enhancing the accessibility and convenience of making quick fixes. This feature is particularly useful for scenarios where developers might not have access to their usual tools, such as when browsing on a Cr-48 or without Subversion or Mercurial. Users can preview the differences in their edits before committing them, and those without commit privileges can still contribute by submitting their changes as a patch through the project's issue tracker. This innovation aims to lower the barrier to entry for both project members and users, fostering project growth and improvement.

In January 2011, Google announced the launch of an API for its URL shortener service, goo.gl, which was initially released without one in September. The API, available on Google Code Labs, allows developers to integrate URL shortening and expansion functionalities into their applications, as well as access usage history and analytics. This new capability supports a range of applications, such as automatic URL shortening within social media clients and monitoring traffic patterns. The initiative aims to enhance usability and improve spam detection, making the goo.gl service more robust and versatile for developers.

Since its announcement at Google IO, BigQuery has been well-received by developers, enterprises, and academia for its ability to analyze large datasets without the need to manage infrastructure. A new integration with Google Apps Script and Google Spreadsheets allows users to query extensive datasets, visualize the outcomes, and share them effortlessly. The demand for BigQuery's APIs has grown significantly, with users increasingly uploading data, including the impressive 240 billion rows of the M-Lab dataset. The integration, initially demonstrated at Google IO, is part of a free preview period inviting developers to explore and share innovative applications of BigQuery. More resources and tutorials are being developed to assist users in maximizing the tool's potential.