1) Real world examples of algorithms. I really wanted to get into algorithms and data structures, but it was always hard to find an actual reason for things.
2) More than anything, contributing to open source projects taught me how to code, how to read and edit existing code, and how to collaborate with other developers. In terms of early stages, Learn Python the Hard Way was huge, because it introduced me to all the OTHER online resources (like Stack Overflow) that were available. I also found some of the Udacity videos helpful.
>And certainly not quickly enough to be qualified to get a job as a data scientist before the data scientist salary market comes crashing back down to earth.
Do you think it's worth it to pursue if you're legitimately interested (as opposed to primarily attracted to the $$$)?
I have the same reaction when I see "Gittip", I find it weird, and then think "Am I tipping someone for their work on Github?". Patreon is a little clearer in terms of naming, I guess.
2) More than anything, contributing to open source projects taught me how to code, how to read and edit existing code, and how to collaborate with other developers. In terms of early stages, Learn Python the Hard Way was huge, because it introduced me to all the OTHER online resources (like Stack Overflow) that were available. I also found some of the Udacity videos helpful.