Google provides a new service to generate charts driven by parameters in a URL. The API returns an image in PNG-format.

Several types of graphs can be generated: line, bar, pie charts, Venn diagrams, and scatter plots. Each type allows you to specify attributes such as size, colors, and labels. The URL might look something like this:

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p3&chd=t:90,20,21&chs=250x110&chl=This|That|Other

Use is limited to 50,000 queries per user per day. If you exceed this 24-hour limit, the Chart API will be blocked temporarily. If you continue to exceed, you may be blocked permanently.

I’m considering deploying these graphics in support of a ‘services dashboard‘. Usage is low enough to avoid the limit. It will be interesting to push the boundaries of the API.

Are there any Tufte-compliant examples out there?

(See also: http://code.google.com/apis/chart/)
(See also: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/infodashboard/index.html)
(See also: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596515935/)
(See also: http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/)