learn to build a search engine in 7 weeks....

**Slowdive** · January 30th, 2012, 03:36 PM

This is probably pretty well known to most but I always assume if its news to me its news to someone else too...
http://www.udacity.com/
Free seven week course about building a search engine. It also looks like it would give one a pretty decent introduction to python, so double score.
I signed up just struck me as a great way to further my knowledge and skills for only a commitment of time. More over when else will I get a chance to study through the likes of David Evans and Sebastian Thrun, should if nothing else be interesting.

**tke71709** · January 30th, 2012, 04:37 PM

I signed up for that one myself last week.

There are so many sites teaching coding for free nowadays, it's really tough to narrow things down but this one would definitely have some real world applications in our business.

**tke71709** · February 23rd, 2012, 04:42 PM

And I started on the first class today. Looks pretty interesting. I have an ITIL certification course to write next week but after that I plan on diving into this head first!

We can be studybuddies slowdive :P

**akirk** · February 23rd, 2012, 06:02 PM

fascinating - look forward to eharing about what you do in it / how it goes

Alasdair

**Slowdive** · February 27th, 2012, 05:16 AM

Thanks for bumping this my spam filter ate it and I forgot about it, now I am off to take my terrible connection to go have a look see.

I actually have a few friends who are meant to be doing this, I will give them a nudge.

@TKE Sure I'll crib your notes, it will be like the little bit of high school I did all over again

**flipfilter** · February 27th, 2012, 08:29 AM

I'd give a thumbs up for http://www.codecademy.com.

I think python is an acquired taste (very useful if you know it though) but it's similar to Ruby so learning one will open a door to the other.

Codeacademy focuses on Java which is good if you ever plan to go down the mobile app route.

**tke71709** · February 27th, 2012, 08:42 AM

Codeacademy is Javascript and last time I looked they had very limited content available (hence why they opened up their backend to third party content recently).

The nice thing about the course that we are talking about is that it is actually CS101 - Intro to programming for people with no experience whatsoever (OK, I've hacked the php in some WP templates from time to time) that is supposed to give you a strong foundation in computer science. It just happens to build something cool while it does that

This is as much about learning something new for me (I haven't made any effort to learn anything in years to be honest) as it is anything else. If I ever go blackhat then a server side language is something you really need to know to make things happen (automation FTW) and apparently python is similar enough to PHP to allow me to get a grounding in both.

**flipfilter** · February 27th, 2012, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by tke71709

Codeacademy is Javascript and last time I looked they had very limited content available (hence why they opened up their backend to third party content recently).

I believe I just got 'geek served'

You're right, the CS101 course is much more indepth and probably better if you want to do server side stuff.

I never actually learnt PHP, just kind of picked it up so it's all I know by the way of languages and often felt like I needed to learn something new. I think being able to code is really important if you do online stuff for a living, not in terms of doing stuff for yourself, but being able to 1) relate what you want to coders that you hire in a really succinct way and 2) understand what's possible and what's not.

It's a little like having an economics degree and running an offline business - not essential but a good skillset to have.

**tke71709** · February 27th, 2012, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by flipfilter

I think being able to code is really important if you do online stuff for a living, not in terms of doing stuff for yourself, but being able to 1) relate what you want to coders that you hire in a really succinct way and 2) understand what's possible and what's not.

Agreed.

IMHO a basic technical background is important if you plan on moving past content sites build on WP monetizing with Adsense as a revenue model. The barriers to entry are simply too low and the constant changes to Google's algo make it a risky market niche.

Now excuse me while I go throw together yet another WP content site monetized with Adsense (remember kids, do as I say, not as I do).