Speaker Series 2020

Simon Willison

FOSS Developer & ConsultantPython, Django & Datasette

Personal Data Warehouses: Reclaiming Your Data

Every nerd deserves their own personal data warehouse - a system that gives them the same kind of analytical capability that is usually reserved for giant tech companies. I've figured out how to build one, using SQLite, Datasette and a handful of open source scripts and APIs.

I'll demonstrate my own personal Dogsheep, built using data from GitHub, Twitter, Foursquare, Apple Photos, Google, LinkedIn, 23AndMe and more. I'll show how legislation such as Europe's GDPR have made it easier for us to build our own personal analytics platforms, and discuss the way forward towards a world where we can empower even non-nerds to finally take control of their personal data.

Simon is the creator of Datasette, an open source tool for exploring and publishing data.

Datasette is based on Simon's experiences working as a data journalist at the UK's Guardian newspaper.

Simon is also a co-creator of the Django web framework. He recently completed the JSK Fellowship program at Stanford.