Patch’s data team has made a widget that helps editors compare a variety of datasets. I designed the widget’s look and feel, using Adobe Illustrator, CSS, and HTML. A fellow programmer-journalist at Patch developed the backend. We made extensive use of code management tools to collaborate on this project.
Using a Freedom of Information Law request, I obtained a database of grocery store health inspections from a New York state agency and analyzed the records for a series of investigative stories on Patch. I also created an interactive map using Leaflet that was embedded across dozens of Patch articles and featured on several other …
Inspired by WNYC’s transit tracker, I created a travel information widget for Patch’s 2012 presidential inauguration coverage. Editors could update the widget by editing a Google Spreadsheet through tabletop.js. Later, I created a reusable widget that can be deployed by any editor. Patch editors contributed content and a Patch graphic designer made the custom icons.
The Samsung Galaxy S II has been praised for its high-quality high-definition video, but it can be a challenge to edit the MP4s that the phone records with professional software. (I hear it works fine on Windows Movie Maker.) Here’s how to make it work with Final Cut Pro 7. Recording and transferring After recording …