Subject: Re: [AUDITORY] Query about Python software From: Al Levity <allevity@xxxxxxxx> Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2021 13:40:00 +0100--Apple-Mail=_E3507FB9-91A9-438A-A2DD-301B178A48AA Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Dear all,=20 Many important points have been stressed in this thread already. The = question =E2=80=98What do I start with?=E2=80=99 is ultimately reduced = to =E2=80=98should I start with an extremely simple programming language = or dive in a more useful one to me (and if so, which one)?=E2=80=99=20 While there are arguments for the first approach, my recommendation = would be to dive into Python directly (see recommended material to start = with): - Python syntax is simple enough that things start making sense as = quickly as with a simpler language (data types, for loops, if = statements, ...) - Once you have the basics, there are lots of topics to expend your = horizon onto, both inside Python (Object-Oriented Programming) or using = specialised libraries (Numpy, Scipy, Pandas, or the many mentioned = before) - Python is free (Matlab=E2=80=99s license is expensive) - Python is well used both in academia and outside - Python's growth in the past years has been outright impressive (see = the curves in 2017 = https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/09/06/incredible-growth-python/ = <https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/09/06/incredible-growth-python/>) - Python community is incredibly active ; ranked 3rd most loved on = StackOverflow in 2020 https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2020 = <https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2020> . That means if you = have an issue, chances are high that someone answered it on = StackOverflow.=20 Once you have decided on the programming language, keep in mind that it = is indeed a marathon. And just like when you start dancing: the basics = are extremely important. Make sure to understand the import keywords of = the language (def, import...), the data structures (dict, list, set...) = and what they can do (ex: can you sum two dicts?), how to use functions = and, later, classes, =E2=80=A6 rather than jumping in to use the latest = cool machine learning framework. That step should only come after a few = weeks/months or practice, otherwise you=E2=80=99ll waste a lot of time = and wallow in frustration.=20 A difficulty may be to install and use Python in the first place, but = surely someone asked about that on StackOverflow ;) Regards,=20 =E2=80=94=20 Alban, full-time python engineer. =20= --Apple-Mail=_E3507FB9-91A9-438A-A2DD-301B178A48AA Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=3D"">Dear all, <div = class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">Many important points = have been stressed in this thread already. The question =E2=80=98What do = I start with?=E2=80=99 is ultimately reduced to =E2=80=98should I start = with an extremely simple programming language or dive in a more useful = one to me (and if so, which one)?=E2=80=99 </div><div class=3D""><br = class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">While there are arguments for the first = approach, my recommendation would be to dive into Python directly (see = recommended material to start with):</div><div class=3D""><br = class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">- Python syntax is simple enough that = things start making sense as quickly as with a simpler language (data = types, for loops, if statements, ...)</div><div class=3D"">- Once you = have the basics, there are lots of topics to expend your horizon onto, = both inside Python (Object-Oriented Programming) or using specialised = libraries (Numpy, Scipy, Pandas, or the many mentioned before)</div><div = class=3D"">- Python is free (Matlab=E2=80=99s license is = expensive)</div><div class=3D"">- Python is well used both in academia = and outside</div><div class=3D"">- Python's growth in the past years has = been outright impressive (see the curves in 2017 <a = href=3D"https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/09/06/incredible-growth-python/" = class=3D"">https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/09/06/incredible-growth-python/= </a>)</div><div class=3D"">- Python community is incredibly active ; = ranked 3rd most loved on StackOverflow in 2020 <a = href=3D"https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2020" = class=3D"">https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2020</a> . = That means if you have an issue, chances are high that someone answered = it on StackOverflow. </div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div = class=3D"">Once you have decided on the programming language, keep in = mind that it is indeed a marathon. And just like when you start dancing: = the basics are extremely important. Make sure to understand the import = keywords of the language (def, import...), the data structures (dict, = list, set...) and what they can do (ex: can you sum two dicts?), how to = use functions and, later, classes, =E2=80=A6 rather than jumping in to = use the latest cool machine learning framework. That step should only = come after a few weeks/months or practice, otherwise you=E2=80=99ll = waste a lot of time and wallow in frustration. </div><div = class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">A difficulty may be to = install and use Python in the first place, but surely someone asked = about that on StackOverflow ;)</div><div class=3D""><br = class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">Regards, </div><div = class=3D"">=E2=80=94 </div><div class=3D"">Alban, full-time python = engineer. </div></body></html>= --Apple-Mail=_E3507FB9-91A9-438A-A2DD-301B178A48AA--