Adrian Holovaty
Encyclopedia
Adrian Holovaty is an American Web developer, journalist and entrepreneur living in Chicago, Illinois. He is co-creator of the Django Web framework and an advocate of "journalism via computer programming."
Holovaty, a Ukrainian American, grew up in Naperville, Illinois
. He graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism
in 2001 and worked as a Web developer/journalist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
, Lawrence Journal-World
and The Washington Post
before starting EveryBlock, a Web startup that provides "microlocal" news, in 2007.
While working at the Lawrence Journal-World from 2002 to 2005, he and other Web developers (Simon Willison
, Jacob Kaplan-Moss and Wilson Miner) created Django, an open source
web application framework
for Python
. He and Kaplan-Moss are the framework's Benevolent Dictators for Life, which means the two lead the frameworks development, resolve disputes and generally have the final say. Holovaty co-wrote The Django Book, whose first edition was published in 2007.
In 2005, Holovaty launched chicagocrime.org, a Google Maps
mashup
of Chicago Police Department
crime data. The site won the 2005 Batten Award for Innovations in Journalism and was named by The New York Times
as one of 2005's best ideas. As one of the first Google Maps mashups, it helped influence Google to create its official Google Maps API. Newspaper sites such as the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times have incorporated a map from EveryBlock, the successor to chicagocrime.org, into their Web sites.
In 2007, Holovaty was awarded a $1.1 million Knight Foundation grant and left his job as editor of editorial innovations at washingtonpost.com to start EveryBlock, the successor to chicagocrime.org. On August 17, 2009 EveryBlock was officially acquired by msnbc.com
. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Holovaty is also a guitarist. In 1999, he recorded an album of his own guitar compositions, and since 2007 he has posted videos of his acoustic guitar arrangements on YouTube
, building an audience of more than 20,000 subscribers.
Holovaty, a Ukrainian American, grew up in Naperville, Illinois
Naperville, Illinois
Naperville is a city in DuPage and Will Counties in Illinois in the United States, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago,...
. He graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism
Missouri School of Journalism
The Missouri School of Journalism at University of Missouri in Columbia, claims to be the oldest formal journalism school in the world. Founded in 1908, only the Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme de Paris established in 1899 may be older...
in 2001 and worked as a Web developer/journalist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
, Lawrence Journal-World
Lawrence Journal-World
The Lawrence Journal-World is a daily newspaper published in Lawrence, Kansas by The World Company.-History:Though the Journal-World title only came into existence in 1911, according to the volume number of the current masthead of the paper, the paper dates itself back to 1858.The Simons family...
and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
before starting EveryBlock, a Web startup that provides "microlocal" news, in 2007.
While working at the Lawrence Journal-World from 2002 to 2005, he and other Web developers (Simon Willison
Simon Willison
Simon Willison is a programmer and co-founder of the social conference directory Lanyrd. Originating from the UK, he is also a consultant on OpenID and client- and server-side Web development, a frequent public speaker and a co-creator of the Django Web framework...
, Jacob Kaplan-Moss and Wilson Miner) created Django, an open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
web application framework
Web application framework
A web application framework is a software framework that is designed to support the development of dynamic websites, web applications and web services. The framework aims to alleviate the overhead associated with common activities performed in Web development...
for Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
. He and Kaplan-Moss are the framework's Benevolent Dictators for Life, which means the two lead the frameworks development, resolve disputes and generally have the final say. Holovaty co-wrote The Django Book, whose first edition was published in 2007.
In 2005, Holovaty launched chicagocrime.org, a Google Maps
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
mashup
Mashup (digital)
A digital mashup usually is in reference to:1. Digital media content containing any or all of text, graphics, audio, video and animation drawn from pre-existing sources, to create a new derivative work...
of Chicago Police Department
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
crime data. The site won the 2005 Batten Award for Innovations in Journalism and was named by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as one of 2005's best ideas. As one of the first Google Maps mashups, it helped influence Google to create its official Google Maps API. Newspaper sites such as the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times have incorporated a map from EveryBlock, the successor to chicagocrime.org, into their Web sites.
In 2007, Holovaty was awarded a $1.1 million Knight Foundation grant and left his job as editor of editorial innovations at washingtonpost.com to start EveryBlock, the successor to chicagocrime.org. On August 17, 2009 EveryBlock was officially acquired by msnbc.com
Msnbc.com
msnbc.com is a news website owned and operated as a joint venture by NBCUniversal and Microsoft.In addition to original content from its news staff, msnbc.com is the news website for the NBC News family, with content from the cable television news channel MSNBC, NBC shows such as Today, NBC Nightly...
. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Holovaty is also a guitarist. In 1999, he recorded an album of his own guitar compositions, and since 2007 he has posted videos of his acoustic guitar arrangements on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, building an audience of more than 20,000 subscribers.