OT: Learn R or Python? Or both?

[Op2]

I have more of a statistics background so I'm guessing that R is preferable. But I'm considering learning both. But that may be the big talk of someone that hasn't had to do the hard work of trying to learn both. Any thoughts?

 

[RochLion]

Wow ... I think you'll get a lot of cricket chirps on this one. I'm a C#/.NET guy and not really much into scripting though I'm proficient in SQL and Javascript. That said Python has just moved ahead of C# as the most sought after language (according to Stackoverflow.com and others) and is a good environment for object-oriented programming. I'd focus heavily on Python, though R is becoming popular as well. Not sure of how R lends itself to OOP really.

 

[Frabjous]

My kid is a coder and mostly uses Ruby on Rails and Java Script. That’s all I’ve got.

 

[Lion78]

I've run a tech company for 23 years. Python will give you much more options in the marketplace today.

 

[gamblepsu]

If you’re only debating between the two go python. However if this is your first language I wouldn’t pick either one.

Once you become comfortable with python many other languages will be easy enough to pick up.

If the point is to do scripting, start with learning javascript/jquery and then mix in python/php to connect to the database/api (if that’s what you’re using). Only once you get used to the difference between client side and server side can you really utilize it anyway (for web purposes)

 

[bison13]

What about Pascal?

 

[johnmpsu]

Programming languages are a tool. Use the one that is best suited for your problem. You wouldn't use a saw to drive in a nail.

 

[Woodpecker]

What about Pascal?

Fortran

 

[michnittlion]

I use both and am in the data analytics field. My one-sentence answer:

R is superior for analysis of data, Python is superior for manipulating big sets of data (bigger than Excel can readily handle) to get it ready for said analysis.

As johnmpsu said above: what will be "preferable to learn" depends on the nature of the problems you're likely to encountering. If you're just looking to learn to make yourself more marketable - Python is definitely the one to learn first.

 

[fkkkjm]

I am doing an online certification in Data Science and have some good buddies who are executives in data science & analytics. Python is winning out as the everyday language for analytics professionals and is more user-friendly and 'forgiving' than R. R is very powerful, but the language is not simple to grasp. As someone who is moderately skilled in SQL, I have found R very difficult to master.

I would go after Python my friend. I think you will get more bang for your buck with a lower time investment.

 

[rmem]

Any programmer worth a damn wants to keep learning new things. Know python better, but learn both. Why not?

 

[RochLion]

Here's the stackoverflow 2018 survey of SW development trends.
https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2018/

Also, get a good IDE for Python (it's quirky). Pycharm is great. Worth whatever nominal fee it is.

 

[step.eng69]

Fortran

"FORTRAN....The Granddaddy of Them All"

 

[interrobang]

Python will get you in the door a lot more places. R is much more of a niche fit.

 

[PSU Mike]

Yeah, now if I could actually find good analysts instead of people that spend all their time building coding skills and learning techniques, but have no remote concept of what those numbers going in or coming out mean ...

 

[interrobang]

Yeah, now if I could actually find good analysts instead of people that spend all their time building coding skills and learning techniques, but have no remote concept of what those numbers going on or coming out mean ...

On top of that, just learning a language doesn't mean you know how to use it it to fit whatever business case is trying to be solved.

 

[michnittlion]

Yeah, now if I could actually find good analysts instead of people that spend all their time building coding skills and learning techniques, but have no remote concept of what those numbers going in or coming out mean ...

Like x 1000

 

[Op2]

I am doing an online certification in Data Science and have some good buddies who are executives in data science & analytics. Python is winning out as the everyday language for analytics professionals and is more user-friendly and 'forgiving' than R. R is very powerful, but the language is not simple to grasp. As someone who is moderately skilled in SQL, I have found R very difficult to master.

I would go after Python my friend. I think you will get more bang for your buck with a lower time investment.

The online certification is another thing I was considering. There is EdX and Data Camp and Coursera and maybe more. They have free courses and pay courses (and I think some are both free and pay...free to take but pay if you want to also get a certificate at the end to prove to someone else that you took and passed the course). Anyone have thoughts on which of those is better?

 

[fkkkjm]

The online certification is another thing I was considering. There is EdX and Data Camp and Coursera and maybe more. They have free courses and pay courses (and I think some are both free and pay...free to take but pay if you want to also get a certificate at the end to prove to someone else that you took and passed the course). Anyone have thoughts on which of those is better?

Coursera is what I’m doing. My employer sponsored it through coursera.

 

[Op2]

Coursera is what I’m doing. My employer sponsored it through coursera.

And how do you like Coursera?

 

[fkkkjm]

And how do you like Coursera?

The data science courses with Johns Hopkins get very hard very fast. Overall I like coursera though. Between the course material, stack overflow and the course boards, I’ve been able to grind through it thus far. It’s annoying though since now they try to monetize everything.