Data Crunching
Solve Everyday Problems Using Java, Python, and more.
By Greg Wilson
First Edition
April 2005
Publisher: Pragmatic Bookshelf
Pages: 176
ISBN 10: 0-9745140-7-1 |
ISBN 13: 9780974514079




(Average of 1 Customer Reviews)


Book description
Programmers always need to move data around, to translate it from one format to another, or extract useful information from it. This book shows the best approaches to "crunching" data in several programming languages; all widely-used data formats are covered, including plain text, XML, relational, and binary data.
Full Description
Every day, all around the world, programmers have to recycle legacy data, translate from one vendor's proprietary format into another's, check that configuration files are internally consistent, and search through web logs to see how many people have downloaded the latest release of their product. This kind of "data crunching," may not be glamorous, but knowing how to do it efficiently is essential to being a good programmer.
This book describes the most useful data crunching techniques, explains when you should use them, and shows how they will make your life easier. Along the way, it will introduce you to some handy, but under-used, features of Java, Python, and other languages. It will also show you how to test data crunching programs, and how data crunching fits into the larger software development picture.
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Featured customer reviews

Specialized Programming Languages,
September 30 2006
Submitted by
Robert
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Truth is, this is a review of the title.
All purpose programming languages, such as Java and Python are extremely popular. Most computer programmers, apparently from the title, Wilson included, do not think expertise in specialized programming languages are worth bragging about or worth talking about at all.
THAT IS GROUPTHINK, there I said it. A bit like C++ programmers being snobbish about VB. But for the specific subject of user interfaces, VB(and Delphi) are superb.
(By far the the most famous specialized programming language is SQL).
You cannot give a complete talk about data crunching , my specialty , without talking about tools and languages specific to the realm of data crunching.
And that means: SQL (especially SQL SELECT), and , frankly, Vilno, which is a free download at www.my.opera.com/datahelper.
Also SAS, SPSS, and S/S-PLUS/R can be considered
Sometimes all-purpose tools are the best , sometimes specialized tools are, it depends on the particular situation.
Robert
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