TAB

[crestridge]

There's a software data base program, that uses lots of "visuals", it's called Tableau. I was wondering if anyone has experience with this software. I guess, it's mainly used in corporations, data analyzing the company, etc. I'm probably just dreaming, but was wondering if racing data bases, handicapping software programs and their data could be processed via Tableau? I know, this is a "way out there" thought, but maybe someone is familiar with this process?

[JerryBoyle]

There's a software data base program, that uses lots of "visuals", it's called Tableau. I was wondering if anyone has experience with this software. I guess, it's mainly used in corporations, data analyzing the company, etc. I'm probably just dreaming, but was wondering if racing data bases, handicapping software programs and their data could be processed via Tableau? I know, this is a "way out there" thought, but maybe someone is familiar with this process?

A former company I worked at used Tableau heavily. It's been a couple years since I've used it, but it would absolutely work with horse racing data. It's not a way out there thought. However, it won't give you any profound answers. The tool is really good for dataset exploration and visualization. You can make some pretty neat tables and graphs. It's also good for ongoing reporting, as you simply update the dataset and the visualizations automatically update.

[crestridge]

Years ago, I was intrigued with a program called "WATT", because it used bar graphs comparing early/late numbers. All you needed to do, was look at these graphs, which made it easy to analyze. I never used the program, but it "sparked" a idea, and I made a simple graph in excel, but just a idea. Nothing ground breaking, like you said. But "graphs" are nice, substituting numbers. I wish more handicapping programs used visuals. Thanks Mr. Boyle.

[fast4522]

Years ago, I was intrigued with a program called "WATT", because it used bar graphs comparing early/late numbers. All you needed to do, was look at these graphs, which made it easy to analyze. I never used the program, but it "sparked" a idea, and I made a simple graph in excel, but just a idea. Nothing ground breaking, like you said. But "graphs" are nice, substituting numbers. I wish more handicapping programs used visuals. Thanks Mr. Boyle.

Play with some of the older Sartin progies, some were very good.

[crestridge]

Hi Fast

The only Sartin program I ever had was Phase 3, old floppy, with nothing but text. Actually, at one point was able to use it very successfully, by modeling the energy numbers, etc., but very time consuming. But I have no experience with "visuals" in Sartin. I wouldn't mind obtaining a "Energy" program. At one point in time, the thing sold for $1000.00, and many people paid that much for it.

Crazy, but I used it (Phase 3) on a old XT computer, up graded the memory to 100 megabits, for over $150.00, so I could use it on a very slow modem, dial up. Crazy, how now, I can buy 16 G, stick memory, for $5.00!!

[crestridge]

Mr. Boyle you have said not much to discover with "Tab.", which is probably true, but visuals do have their place . Example, if one uses a bar graph to plot todays race at BEL, Race 10, on turf and you placed the 1,2,1a,3,11,8,10,6 horses on the bar graphs, you would immediately notice a vast difference in the early/late numbers holistically. There's much similarity in size of all the entrants, except when one looks at the late numbers of 8,10,6. Their early numbers are abnormally low, but the early numbers of the other entrants aren't much to offer. And the late numbers revealed in the graphs are nominal for most of the field except 8,10,6. But the late numbers of these three horses, 8,10, 6 are so outstanding, as not to compare with anything else in the field. It turns out the 8 horse wins, and the the 6 horse comes in second. Now this is only one race, doesn't prove a whole lot, but it raises some thoughts concerning visuals, which may have their place with these numbers we use. I must admit, I didn't pay much attention before the race, but after, thinking about this, maybe I should cont. to use these graphs. I was thinking, "it's to time consuming, because it's all manual input". Just something interesting to think about.