Interactive Data Exploration with Chaco
Data visualisation should allow one not only to plot the data, but also interact with it. Users should be able to test new hypotheses quickly by just changing the way the data are represented, for example by hiding or emphasising interesting part of them. As Hans Rosling has put it you should play the music not show the notes.
Most scientific plotting libraries include only basic data transformation tools such as zooming or panning. Chaco, however, provides a nice framework for developing interactive plots. It includes a series of tools for transforming the plots and components for developing graphical user interfaces (widgets etc.)
Check out the examples on Chaco's website.
