February 7, 2018 at 8:50 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Learning Choice
February 8, 2018 at 1:34 am
There are two sayings that are relevant here: 'one should everything about something and something about everything' and 'find a job you like and you'll never work a day again in your life'.
Steve put it well, it is not easy.
If Machine Learning (ML) is something that fascinates you and you are prepared (and are able) to put in the 10'000 hours it takes to become a master, then go for it.
Just know the basics of SQL Server well. Be a competent DBA, developer or whatever it is you do with SQL Server. Being a good ML person does not mean that you should be a poor SQL server person.
Do bear in mind that if you are working for an SME, your passion and experience in ML almost certainly won't get you very far. You will soon need an ambitious startup or a large company looking for a guru in that field.
February 8, 2018 at 2:37 am
Sean Redmond - Thursday, February 8, 2018 1:34 AM'one should everything about something and something about everything'
Damn Straight! My experience suggests that it's fine to have your specialism but its the things you know around the periphery that enable you to bring your specialism to bear. It's all about being able to communicate outside of your niche. The trick is to make sure that people are willing to listen when you have a valid concern and you have the mechanism to be able to discuss that concern with a common frame of reference.
February 8, 2018 at 5:52 am
While I realize this would eat into the total available learning time, I tend towards the "learn skills that are useful for your current job, while also spending time learning about something that interests you."
So, if your job is SSIS developer, spend time learning some of the deeper features of SSIS. But, if you're interested in, say, High Availability features, find some time to work on that, too. Sure, it has nothing to do with your day-to-day job, but it might have bearing at your next job, or you might find ways to take advantage of it in your current job.
In my particular case, I have to be something of a generalist, the "know something about everything" crowd. Backups, SSIS, SSRS, indexing, basic table design, OS management and troubleshooting, even a touch of networking. You could turn me loose on your servers to make sure that, in general, they're running happy, getting backed up right, etc, but I'd likely founder if you put me in a pure-dev role, or a pure SSIS role.
February 8, 2018 at 6:09 am
I have to agree with Jeff Moden on the need for better T-SQL skills especially to think and work in sets of data -- not in a procedural fashion. I'm currently working on a project that was developed by folks who were more experienced at .NET development than T-SQL and it shows in the huge number of cursors, loops, scalar functions, overuse of complex views for minor use cases and multiple layers of embedded stored procedures. While it produces the expected result, the performance is just abysmal! There is an incredible amount of work performed that is summarily ignored or thrown away when there are simpler, set-based methods to achieve the same results that are better performing and simpler to develop. SMH :crazy:
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February 8, 2018 at 6:40 am
One of the blessing and challenges we have in the data wrangling world is that there's a cornucopia of tools. You can't master everything, there's not enough time. So figure out what you need to know, (broad knowledge), and what you need to know well, (specialization). Hopefully these coincide with talents and passions.
If you really want to learn R or Python, realize that R is a stats language and Python is a general programming/scripting language with lots of good data/stats libraries. There are decent books that teach statistics and the each language in conjunction. As a data janitor and programmer, I find Python much more useful.
As for me, I have to temper my infinite curiosity of technology, science and history. So I stay current or slightly ahead of the curve for the career/job and delve into more fulfilling science and math passions outside of work.
February 8, 2018 at 6:42 am
Simplistically, I like SSC for that.
I force myself to answer the Question of the day everyday. I spend few minutes, sometimes seconds, to find the answer, searching around on the web. that's enough to learn something new, or at least know about something new I should be learning.
At the end of the year, that's a good deal of new stuff I learnt!
February 8, 2018 at 7:05 am
What I have found is that it needs great care choosing what to do or you can waste a lot of time. Some years ago I studied Crystal Reports as there was an up and coming project. Two weeks into the project it was scrapped on a director's whim. Having done it in my own time and expense and never having use it again it was a bad investment. When I was out of work I started an online web programming course. It all honesty have not a lot of interest in it but there seemed to be a lot of jobs. This was on line and again paid for. Opps, company and money disappeared. The only time I have used the bits I learned was some voluntary wick for a charity. I am now wary!
February 8, 2018 at 7:20 am
'one should everything about something and something about everything'
,
'find a job you like and you'll never work a day again in your life'
Ditto
I've been in IT since it was called Data Processing (36 years). I think I've worn just about every hat along the way and prior to IT, on the business side I guess you would have called me a "super user". I will be "officially" retiring in 12 months but I seriously doubt that I'll stop learning. There is just too much "stuff" out there that is fascinating.
MG
"There are two ways of constructing a software design. One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies. And the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies."
Tony Hoare
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair.
February 8, 2018 at 7:26 am
chrisn-585491 - Thursday, February 8, 2018 6:40 AMR is a stats language and Python is a general programming/scripting language with lots of good data/stats libraries.
Exactly! Why is this even a question? Apples vs oranges. FWIW many use Python for setting up and calling R programs. Can't say I've ever heard of R calling Python (can it?) though.
February 8, 2018 at 7:51 am
It's worth noting how many top SQL Server experts thrived over the past 20 years while knowing next to nothing about MDX, NDX, and BIML. Should R and Python be included in the same category of languages?
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
February 8, 2018 at 7:56 am
gbritton1 - Thursday, February 8, 2018 7:26 AMchrisn-585491 - Thursday, February 8, 2018 6:40 AMR is a stats language and Python is a general programming/scripting language with lots of good data/stats libraries.Exactly! Why is this even a question? Apples vs oranges. FWIW many use Python for setting up and calling R programs. Can't say I've ever heard of R calling Python (can it?) though.
There is an rPython package to do this. Personally though I have called C from Python and assembler from C but never had need of the reverse!
February 8, 2018 at 8:28 am
I've been of the opinion for a while now that "the biggest threat in working with technology is becoming a dinosaur". Continual learning is a must. I've seen people who had good jobs at big companies be there for 9 years and not have learned much at all since day 1. I feel for them when they get let go and have to interview in the wild.
February 8, 2018 at 8:31 am
Eric M Russell - Thursday, February 8, 2018 7:51 AMIt's worth noting how many top SQL Server experts thrived over the past 20 years while knowing next to nothing about MDX, NDX, and BIML. Should R and Python be included in the same category of languages?
Very true Eric. I sometimes wonder if we've just merely complicated life for us!
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February 8, 2018 at 10:04 am
I devote as much time as I can to learning new things. For me I focus upon C# and things related to that (LINQ, EF, UWP, ASP.NET, etc.). I'm also trying to learn Python. I've got a new laptop so I can both learn on the long commuter train ride I take and hopefully do some contract stuff on the side. 😉
Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.
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