I recently noticed that I’ve been reading fewer books lately. I think it’s because I’ve been spending a disproportionate share of my time reading blogs, news sites, a certain social media feed, and other less substantial content. Then I read Blake Butler’s Maximizing Time for Reading, which put everything into focus for me.
You’ve probably heard the term “machine learning” and how it’s changing everything. In this article, I’m going to explain the fundamental concept behind machine learning.
Check out this visual explainer about sound. It’s a beautiful example of how interactive media can make otherwise complex scientific concepts accessible and comprehensible to everyone.
I wrote this document for internal use at Google, but I believe it has broad applicability, not just in tech but in any field where people undertake team projects.
This piece from The Guardian was the best article I read last week. It makes a compelling case that we are collectively giving away our most precious commodity, our time, in order to generate untold riches for certain large companies.
Here’s a video I made this morning explaining the so-called Normal or Gaussian distribution. That esoteric name belies a fundamental law of nature.
Check out this fascinating and beautifully produced visual explaination of the wonders of your immune system. You’ll be amazed by the incredible things going on in your body every day, about which you are able to remain blissfully ignorant, unless they stops working.
Right now - do you have hundreds or even thousands of emails in your inbox? I hate feeling like my main communication channel is a godawful mess. The good news: the road to gmail bliss is easy, just follow me…
I just read this article: Programming is Hard. I agree with several points made therein, but I have a different way of explaining how hard it is to be a programmer. I like to ask, by analogy, how hard is it to learn to play piano?
The economic devastation wrought by the pandemic is forcing a lot of people to rethink their career choices. But who has time to go back to school for a Bachelors or Masters degree? One option I just learned about seems promising…
Check out this catalog of over 100 Free Online Courses from Harvard. Topics include the humanities, business, history, math and science (including Harvard’s award winning intro to Computer Science CS50) and many other subject areas.
Catalog of current talks, with links to associated slide decks.
I recently developed a new Python course, with a focus on beginners and practical examples. I call it Practical Python Programming for Everyone (ppp4e).
Take five minutes out of your day to watch what must be the most moving and eloquent testimony in the history of congressional hearings. If you’ve seen this before, watch it again. You won’t be disappointed.
A new study reveals the age at which the human brain, on average, stops being the amazing linguistic sponge we’re all born with.
Check out this physical realization of a powerful self-motivation device.
This new course provides a practical, supportive, and fun environment for learning Python. Tuition is free for underrepresented groups.
I’m often asked to recommend a book to help students get started learning Python. There are many good ones, but depending on your style of learning, I have two specific recommendations.
I used to say “repetition is the basis of all learning”. Now so sure about that…
I spend most of my professional time helping developers understand how to harness Google Cloud technology to build great applications. But a recent engagement brought me somewhere I’d never been before, somewhere, I suspect, no other Google Developer Advocate has gone.
When I interviewed for my job at Google, I got asked all the usual questions about data structures, and whiteboard coding.
I think there’s a glaring hole in our nation’s public school curriculum. I’m talking about an imaginary missing course called “Social Dynamics 101″. Since it’s my imaginary course, I get to come up with an imaginary syllabus:
I just finished teaching my new Python Programming course at UW. It was a great experience and I was very lucky to have a fantastic group of students.
I love a good puzzle. Tonight my wife told me something amazing: July is the worst month in which to undergo a medical procedure because the risk of a mistake is higher in July than in any other month of the year.
