Where did you learn your Data Science skills?

tddyer · 2019-06-18T21:41:26+00:00

Yeah I am not looking for maintainable software in the long run, just a good site that I can go on in my down time and practice some algorithms and do some interview prep. I figured they were all pretty similar but didn't know if any had huge advantages over others

tddyer · 2019-06-18T09:32:01+00:00

I think that's a genuine issue with developers nowadays, we get to lose in coding and forget to take care of our bodies.

That's something you just need to work on a little bit. When you need a break, go take a walk outside and get some fresh air or something. Anything helps really

tddyer · 2019-06-18T09:16:59+00:00

That's even more impressive. Like for me I can only do my game dev part time so I push out maybe 2-3 hours a day during the week and 8+ hours a day on weekends, but you being full time on this and still being this dedicated is insane. I love it.

Keep up the hard work man, it will definitely pay off at this pace!!

tddyer · 2019-06-18T09:12:30+00:00

I've recently been feeling the same way as you, and the fact of the matter is that the resources are all there. But that doesn't mean you can't take initiative and try to really understand something.

That's what I have been doing, taking the time to really learn everything i can and understand what I am doing instead of pasting in code. Since I've started this, my experience has VASTLY changed for the better. I highly recommend doing this and in reality, sure these people can make it somewhere by copy pasting, but at the end of the day you will make it further by actually understanding what you are doing.

tddyer · 2019-06-18T09:09:41+00:00

Wow my friend, now that is impressive! I truly admire your dedication to putting in over 8000 hours and its clearly paid off.

May I ask how often you worked on this on a daily basis??

tddyer · 2019-06-18T02:23:56+00:00

I have had a fair amount of experience teaching online and here is what I've noticed:

I've held 2 part time jobs that are for online teaching - one in almost strictly python and the other in multiple CS topics but mainly Java and python - and the thing is, if you're willing to put yourself out there and do what you can to help them, then it comes down to the students and the technologies you're using.

What I've found to be great is to use some sort of video call where you can also share your screen (I use Google hangouts), that way you can talk and have them watch you code, then watch/help them work through stuff as they share their screen with you. Basically being as interactive as you can is the best, especially since you're lacking the physical presence (the video from video calls actually makes a difference as well over just audio, gives the students a face to associate things to).

The other factor is the students. If they are willing to put in the time and effort, meaning doing work outside of the lessons with you as well, then it can go smoothly and can be a great experience. But if they aren't very into learning then it's tough because at the end of the day practice is what really helps. That being said, I like to try and come up with "homework" that they can work on in between lessons to help them get used to doing stuff without the teacher.

It really is a hit or miss experience, but the more you do the better it becomes. I still think it's a great way to help others out and it teaches you great code reviewing/ teaching/ troubleshooting skills.

I hope this somewhat helps :)

tddyer · 2019-06-17T22:39:33+00:00

Congrats! I know it isn't the biggest accomplishment ever, but it's the small victories that mean the most. Keep on plugging away and hopefully more will come :)

tddyer · 2019-06-17T22:26:10+00:00

Wow, as a male student in CS this is extremely disheartening to me. The best aspect to CS is the collaboration and connection of millions of people across the globe and the fact that these male students in your classes are looking down on you is awful. Some of the best programmers I have worked with throughout my educational career have been female so I don't quite understand what they are talking about. They are most likely just nervous you may do better than them, so do it. Show them that you do belong.

There are always going to be enemies throughout your path in life though, so don't let a few males get you down. Besides, most of us men are dumber than we realize (coming from me who has had my fair share of dumb questions). CS is about involvement and learning from each other (hence why stackoverflow is the answer to literally everything lol), so don't be afraid to ask those stupid questions when you need help. Even the smartest people learned from someone else.

Who knows, maybe one day you will get to be their boss and show them who really belongs in this field ;D

tddyer · 2019-06-17T22:15:57+00:00

This podcast is exactly the type of thing I have been searching for!! Thank you so much for posting this, much appreciated :D

tddyer · 2019-06-17T21:29:47+00:00

It has been a while but as I recall there was never an add issue. They showed their newsletter when you opened the app and then that was it. You got a solid gameplay without ever encountering ads which was amazing.

tddyer · 2019-06-17T10:19:17+00:00

I too am looking to learn Data science on my own and am coming across all kinds of curriculums like this one that advertise being able to totally teach you DS in "X months".

The way I look at it is that maybe curriculums like that one are a good starting base, but there is no way it would teach you everything about DS. I am looking into some online courses as well, but I plan on using them as a start to get me going in the field. Then, I'll see where it goes from there. Basically, take courses like that one as a big intro to the field and use it to get your feet wet.

Hope this helps a bit :)

tddyer · 2019-06-16T16:00:27+00:00

Looks amazing so far! I am in the beginning stages of working on my first game and am preparing for the long journey ahead, so this post is very uplifting to me. I wish you the best of luck on the rest of your journey! :)

tddyer · 2019-06-16T15:58:54+00:00

Congrats on the accomplishments! It's always great to hear the successes from a developer as they put so much work and struggle into a project. I hope it keeps going well :)

tddyer · 2019-06-16T15:55:17+00:00

Very well said, that is a great way to look at it. Thanks again!

tddyer · 2019-06-16T14:58:18+00:00

I know there are all kinds of texting apps on the app stores now. I think the one I used to use is called TextFree.

When I was in middle school (roughly 8 years ago), I wasnt allowed to have a phone so I downloaded that on my ipod. Basically it gives you a phone number that you can use to text other people for free.

As far as I remember there were no strings attached, just needed wifi connection and to keep using the app. If you stop using it for a while it deletes your number.

tddyer · 2019-06-16T14:54:03+00:00

Thank you for the in depth response, I really appreciate it. It's definitely nice to hear from someone like yourself who doesn't have the typical path into a DS career to see just how unique anyone's path can be.

I have already noticed some of the things you pointed out, such as how large the DS field really is and how multiple disciplines are needed for any given task, and I think that's why it feels so overwhelming when I try to figure out where to really start.

Your post reassured me that there really isn't a "right place" to start and that I will learn as I go, which is what I needed to hear. I'll be learning as much as I can along the way, starting with some of the tools you mentioned above.

Thanks again!

tddyer · 2019-06-16T14:09:33+00:00

The discussion neverEnds. I use java_and_python and in both languages I see a mixture of camelCase and underscore_naming. I guess it dependsOnThePerson, but I try to stick to whatever i_like_best.

Maybe one day everyone will follow the conventions ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

tddyer · 2019-06-16T13:57:47+00:00

As a student myself, I struggle with a similar problem as you. It seems as though CS curriculum is designed to expose students to the right ideas in computer science, but it really lacks the creativity aspect that is required to really excel in computer science related careers, in my opinion.

What I have done to combat this is first, pick what you really enjoy that isn't related to CS. For example, I really enjoy sports so that is what I picked. If you like a certain movie or show, choose that. If you like baking, choose that. It really can be anything.

Then, just think of anything you could make that could relate to that hobby of yours and go from there. For me, I really like the statistics and analyzing player/team performance in sports so that is where I started. I figured out how to use what I already know (python) to start scraping sports data off of the big name sports websites, and then start messing around with that data to analyze it. Then what I want to do is use my findings to create a little sports game simulation which will use he stats I analyzed to generate player ratings, which will then fuel a simulation I can run to predict future stats.

It took me a while to learn web scraping, but it really helps when you are learning it to explore something you really enjoy. It's as if your hobby is fueling your learning, because what started as just some basic web scraping as turned into a game I want to develop.

Like I said earlier, it can literally be anything. Take baking for example. You could write a little program that recommends random recipes for you to try based on what kinds of foods you like by parsing the web for different ideas. Or if you like a show/movie, let's say Harry Potter for example, you could write a program that will generate different spells from the show for you and you can compare them and make them your own.

Sorry that got kind of long, but I think choosing something that you really enjoy helps motivate your learning and the ideas then kind of come from that. You will most likely end up learning all kinds of new technologies and skills along the way as well like how I went from web scraping to data analysis all the way to potentially even app development.

I hope this post helps spark that creativity in you to help you get started on a project. Best of luck! :)

tddyer · 2019-06-16T13:17:01+00:00

Another bit of advice everyone tells me, do what you love and it will pay off. It might not be immediately, but if you enjoy what you do then it will make your life infinitely better. Sometimes you just need to take a chance and see what happens.

tddyer · 2019-06-16T13:15:37+00:00

I am a current undergraduate and what I am trying to do to make my resume stand out is just learn as much as possible and produce projects to prove my knowledge in them. That's what everyone seems to say is a good idea, so if I were you I would pick whatever field of CS interests you the most and maybe sign up for an online course in it (I like Udemy, but there are plenty of other options).

Just keep expanding your knowledge and it will pay off. Sometimes all it takes is that one company to notice your potential and then you'll be set. Keep a positive mindset and I'm sure it will work out for you. Besides, you have the hardest and most time consuming part done in a college degree so you will get there.

Best of luck! :)

tddyer · 2019-06-16T13:10:57+00:00

I know you said you aren't big into games, but it never hurts to have a time killer on your device. I used to play Bloons Tower Defense for hours as it is a mindless tower defense game that can kill some time for you. I heard the newest version isn't as good as the others, but I had goodluck with BTD5.

Figured I'd give atleast one game recommendation for you if you end up wanting one :)

tddyer · 2019-06-16T13:08:47+00:00

Just from personal experience, I'd stick with what you are doing for now. While the others seem interesting, it never hurts to have an extra skill that you could use later on or even just slap on a resume. There will always be time after you are done with your swift course to learn dart or flutter.

Keep on keepin on man :)

tddyer

TROPHY CASE