The idea of Google Public Data Explorer came about through Google’s analysis of the type of searches we perform using their search engine. Last year Google released a public data search tool that allowed persons to obtain useful statistics. However, it was seen as being ideal to use the public data search tool as a way to complement various information and data search requests. Therefore, persons who search for data on oil prices, minimum wages, exchange rates, salaries or even school comparisons for example can use Google Public Data Explorer for enhanced results.

The example below illustrates one of available search datasets that was embedded for sharing purposes.

The chart above displays unemployment numbers for the last sixty-two years and breaks these numbers down by sex. Additionally, these numbers are based on persons over twenty years of age. If you press the play button you will see the changes in unemployment statistics that have occurred over the sixty-two year period.

Click here for a complete list of some of the datasets that are currently preset for Google Public Data Explorer organized by statistics gatherers. Also I have provided a presentation below to show how to use this exciting tool.

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Dear Google Apps admin,​

In order to continue to improve our products and deliver more sophisticated features and performance, we are harnessing some of the latest improvements in web browser technology. This includes faster JavaScript processing and new standards like HTML5. As a result, over the course of 2010, we will be phasing out support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 ​as well as other older browsers that are not supported by their own manufacturers.

We plan to begin phasing out support of these older browsers on the Google Docs suite and the Google Sites editor on March 1, 2010. After that point, certain functionality within these applications may have higher latency and may not work correctly in these older browsers. Later in 2010, we will start to phase out support for these browsers for Google Mail and Google Calendar.

Google Apps will continue to support Internet Explorer 7.0 and above, Firefox 3.0 and above, Google Chrome 4.0 and above, and Safari 3.0 and above.

Starting this week, users on these older browsers will see a message in Google Docs and the Google Sites editor explaining this change and asking them to upgrade their browser. We will also alert you again closer to March 1 to remind you of this change.

In 2009, the Google Apps team delivered more than 100 improvements to enhance your product experience. We are aiming to beat that in 2010 and continue to deliver the best and most innovative collaboration products for businesses.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,

The Google Apps team

Each of us has some sort of love/hate relationship with Internet Explorer; particularly version 6. All the additional hours of extra coding and hacking just to make our sites work seamlessly in this dreaded browser.

Google has decided to take a stand.  Maybe it is the right time for us all to collectively stop coding for IE6 as well? What are your thoughts?