Bootchart and Visualization

From Slashdot recently comes this article on Linux boot performance visualization. In addition to being somewhat interested in boot time optimization, I was quite intrigued by the images that bootchart puts out.

I'm fascinated by the power of visualization, especially as it relates (or possibly might relate) to coding. From simple stuff like editors that collapse method bodies to the use of UML and beyond, it's something that I just have this gut feel could really be powerful in comprehending a system and making informed, meaningful changes to it.

(OTOH, I could also just be fascinated by small, shiny objects...)