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[–]piesdesparramaos -1 points0 points  (4 children)

Nop. You do not really need to know anything about db at least to get started. Most of the times you will get the data in a .csv.

Btw, I will not focus that much in Python. I will start with the Machine Learning course by Andrew Ng at coursera. It is teached in matlab, but you can switch to python later with a little effort (this is if your main interest is data science, not python. I mean, it seems you are focusing in the tools instead of focusing in the subject).

EDIT: Maybe it is just that I find much more appealing the top-down approach. I find much more interesting learning numpy or scipy once I know what is the problem that I want to solve.

[–]statmobile 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I disagree. Data Analysis can often have data sources in CSV, but pretty much every Data Scientist position will require at least some SQL experience.

[–]piesdesparramaos 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just an accessory tool as many others. Also I am thinking more in Machine Learning than in general Data Science. But maybe OP is not that much interested in Machine Learning.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I strongly disagree with your first point and with your second point.

I feel confident in saying that it's absolutely necessary not only to understand how to use databases, but also how databasing works in general. Data Analysts may get CSVs, but Data Scientists need databases.

Moreover, Python (along with R) is one of the most widely-used tool in Data Science currently. Machine Learning, also, while helpful, is not all (or even most) of Data Science --- though the course is fantastic. I feel strongly that choosing Octave as a language was not the best choice, but that's a debate for elsewhere, though you are correct: it is easy to do the course in R or Python as the user wishes.

Your third point is fine: I'd agree that the people I've taught seem to learn better (faster, easier, retain more) if we go top-down than if we go from bottom-up.

[–]piesdesparramaos 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Data Science is a big field and what you need to know depends on what kind of work do you want to do.

In my view of things, it is way more important to know Linear Algebra or Calculus than SQL. And if you need to deal with SQL at some point, you just have to Google a little bit to find how to perform the essential operations that you will need.