On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 10:08 AM, Chris Calloway <[email protected]> wrote:
> Learn Numpy/SciPy/Matplotlib applied to your domain in three days? I don't > think so. Maybe get an overview in three days. Heck, it can take someone > with gobs of experience three days just to optimize your Fortran compiler or > graphics rendering engine for good performance with Python's scientific > stack. or far more trivial things, like getting numpy/scipy/matplotlib/hdf/netcdf/mayvi? all installed an working -- a good reason why people buy EPD or Anacoda. > So my other observation is going towards a deeper issue. If you are sending > "experienced developers" to advanced stack trainings, you are doing it > wrong. Experienced developers learn by exploring and experimenting for > themselves. Well, yes, and that's what is going to happen over the weeks/months/years is takes to really become proficient. However, a focused few days could give folks a pretty good jumpstart. > My best > recommendation for getting a shop of experienced developers up to speed on > the Python scientific stack in the most accelerated way possible is to hire > a developer or two with that experience and stick them in your bull pen with > your existing developers: mentoring and especially pairing are way > underrated. Great idea -- but it would take culture ans structure, too -- in my shop, new folks are coming up to speed mostly on their own, and, I think, not benefiting as much as they could from, let's call it mentoring, because: a) they don't ask for help as readily as they might. b) the more experienced folks may not see (and their job description may not) their job as trainers/mentors. c) we don't enforce code review (we should!) Another idea is to hire a consultant to come in periodically and consult and code review -- people present a problem, and they get help working out how to get started solving it. Though maybe $10k or less wont et you far that way either... I've also found that there is a bit of barrier to entry, particularly for the less experience developers -- why take the time to figure out how to write a little python program when you can get the job done by hand with a spreadsheet? Some focused time to get up to speed can really help here. > I would only recommend > PyCamp to "experienced developers" if they are having difficulty with doing > things the Python way or want a quick immersion in Python culture. That's another reason to do some training up front, rather than leave people ot figure it out themselves... -Chris -- Christopher Barker, Ph.D. Oceanographer Emergency Response Division NOAA/NOS/OR&R (206) 526-6959 voice 7600 Sand Point Way NE (206) 526-6329 fax Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 526-6317 main reception [email protected]
