Python Out Loud

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Latest Episodes:

Episode 2: python_powered (the tale of the caret and the double-asterisk) Apr 02, 2019

Episode 2 Show Notes: pythonoutloud.com/episode2

In this episode, Kevin’s mental math skills are put to the test as we explore options for calculating exponentials in Python.

The discussion begins with two popular sites for practicing programming, projecteuler.net and pythonchallenge.com, the latter being the inspiration for this episode. Both sites have fun problems to tackle, but we find Python Challenge more interesting because it requires more creative thinking.

After some “quality” jokes our statistician followers will enjoy, as well as bad comic book references, we also highlight Python’s flexibility for solving mathematical problems in many, many, many, many ways. In the process, we find out why the caret (^) isn’t used in Python for exponentiation, per the following Stack Exchange discussion:

https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/a/331392

That’s not to say you can’t just inherit from the built-in int class to create other uses for carets in Python because.... again.… many, many, many, many ways to do the same thing in Python. For more background, we recommend the following blog post:

Episode 2 Teaser Companion Blog Post: pythonoutloud.com/articles/the-magic-behind-integer-arithmetic-in-python

This episode features the song "Happy Ukulele" by Scott Holmes and the songs "And So Then", "Curiousity", and "Puzzle Pieces" by Lee Rosevere.

Contest:
No, you’re not hearing a strange, alien language at the end of the episode. We’re telling a joke that’s been encoded with a Caesar Cipher as a preview of our next episode! Tweet the properly deciphered version of the dialog below to @PythonoutLoud with hashtags #WhenInRome and #PythonOutLoud, and we’ll randomly select a winner for a special prize!

Mpqem, Mpqem.
Yjq’u vjgtg?
Ecguct!
Ecguct yjq?
Ecguct swkemna dghqtg ujg igvu cyca!

Episode 2 Teaser: Previewing the tale of the caret and the double-asterisk Mar 19, 2018

Episode 2 Teaser Show Notes: pythonoutloud.com/episode2teaser

Episode 2 Teaser Companion Blog Post: pythonoutloud.com/articles/the-magic-behind-integer-arithmetic-in-python

If you enjoyed this less polished, monologue format, tweeting at us as @PythonOutLoud, and let us know! If we get enough positive feedback, we’ll consider releasing similar episodes more often.

Episode 1 Postscript: more_questions_answered Mar 05, 2018

Episode 1 Postscript Show Notes: pythonoutloud.com/episode1postscript

Thanks for the questions and feedback, and please keep them coming by tweeting at @PythonOutLoud!

While Episode 2 is incubating, this special postscript to Episode 1 answers more listener questions, discusses our Twitter giveaways, and boldly endures Isaiah's Star Trek references.

PSA: The level of geek was a bit high in this episode, so we’ll share links in descending order of geekiness

First off, we have the episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation Isaiah keeps referencing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_of_Command_(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation)

Second, we have the closest attempt you'll ever hear of Isaiah not only reference, but almost singing, a pop song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_About_That_Bass

This third link is a good example of the fun and challenges of balancing our podcast hobby and our day jobs:
https://www.kaianalytics.com/single-post/2018/02/20/“Use-of-Blockchain-Transactional-Technology-by-Philippine-Coffee-Growers”-—-Kai-Analytics-Yaveio-and-Kalsada-Coffee-Awarded-Grant-by-APF-Canada Not only are we oceans apart, we have to find time around our work! In this next case, though, it’s actually an exciting announcement for Kai Analytics’ Blockchain Project.

Since everyone reads show notes from end to end, here's a slight tangent and a challenge: The first person to tweet at @PythonOutLoud with hashtag #beingextraisgood and the number of times Isaiah uses the word “poll(s)” in Episode 1 Postscript will win a special prize!

In case you’re wondering what we’re talking about, this tweet gives some context: https://twitter.com/PythonOutLoud/status/965974579603587073

And if you're mathematically inclined, we recommend the Python statsmodels package for checking Isaiah's math:
http://www.statsmodels.org/dev/generated/statsmodels.stats.proportion.proportion_confint.html

For something completely different, Podcast Init Episode 37 features interviews with the people behind the PEP process:
https://www.podcastinit.com/episode-37-the-pep-talk/

As explained in the episode, they're especially fond of hiding references to British comedy troupe Month Python in Python documentation: https://docs.python.org/3/search.html?q=spam

In other words, SPAM! SPAM! SPAM!

Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll discuss the Python Challenge. How far you can you get before Episode 2? Hey, no cheating! And no harming any snakes!
http://www.pythonchallenge.com/

This episode features the song "Happy Ukulele" by Scott Holmes and the songs "And So Then" and "Puzzle Pieces" by Lee Rosevere.

If you’re still reading, there's a statistically significant chance you want to help us build a community and support our cause! If our prediction is correct, please visit pythonoutloud.com/donate. We want Python Out Loud to be community driven and non-profit oriented, which is why we pledge to be transparent and donate anything in excess of our operating expenses to the Python Software Foundation (PSF). For just $3, we'll even mail you a limited-edition Python Out Loud sticker!

Episode 1: fizz_buzz (and find out why 1,485,294 is divisible by 3) Feb 18, 2018

Episode 1 Show Notes: pythonoutloud.com/1

These show note were written on the Shinano Train, on Kevin's smartphone, steaming toward the Snow Monkey Park in Nagano, Japan.

In Episode 1, we discuss the infamous programming challenge known as FizzBuzz (no space), Fizz Buzz (with a space), or fizz_buzz (in PEP8-friendly syntax). We start off with its origin story, a math game used to teach children division. We then debate whether sitting around in a circle and taking turns saying “one, two, fizz, four, buzz, ...” is as fun in the digital age.

Even less fun? Fizz Buzz's reputation as a job interview question. For more about this version, see the well-known blog post by Jeff Atwood at https://blog.codinghorror.com/why-cant-programmers-program/

We're still not sure whether Fizz Buzz, or any other math-heavy question, is suitable for determining someone's capacity as a programmer. But as a learning tool, Fizz Buzz does provide a compact way of demonstrating a wide range of programming topics, including variables, conditionals, and loops. The only downside is also needing to learn modular arithmetic: https://nrich.maths.org/4350

And if you need even more math in your Fizz Buzz solution, look no further than this blog post by Joel Grus: http://joelgrus.com/2016/05/23/fizz-buzz-in-tensorflow/

Rounding out the episode, we share some project updates, including Kevin's recent Medium article on "Automating Surveys with Python, Qualtrics API and Windows Task Scheduler": https://medium.com/@changkevin/automating-surveys-with-python-qualtrics-api-and-windows-task-scheduler-4bffc58726d7

Neither of us is affiliated with Qualtrics in any way, but we did publish a qualtrics-mailer package on PyPI a few months ago: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/qualtrics-mailer/0.1

This episode features the song "Happy Ukulele" by Scott Holmes and the songs "And So Then", "Curiousity", "Manhattan By Moonlight" and "Puzzle Pieces" by Lee Rosevere.

Thank you for your support, and stay tuned for Episode 2. We plan to continue discussing problem solving in Python, focusing on http://www.pythonchallenge.com/.

Episode 0 Postscript: your_questions_answered Feb 04, 2018

Episode 0 Postscript Show Notes: pythonoutloud.com/episode0postscript

While we create Episode 1, this Episode 0 Postscript answers some of your questions, discusses our plans for the show, and announces our first giveaway!

In addition, Isaiah shared some stories from PyCascades (https://www.pycascades.com/), a regional Python conference held in Canada in January 2018. At PyCascades, Isaiah even gave a Lightning Talk announcing Python Out Loud to nearly 400 audience members: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrzfSU-8zVY&feature=youtu.be&t=24m50s

We recommend watching all of the other amazing talks, as well: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtWI06j1EADmEOGj2iJhSyA

Also, while explaining why we started with Episode 0 and not Episode 1, Isaiah told us about a controversial topic in mathematics. So controversial, in fact, it involves fistfights! (Please encourage Isaiah to tell us more about the fight. Was he a participant? Were calculators involved?)

And finally, Isaiah took the opportunity to thank friend of the show, Michael Kennedy, for now only mentioning Python Out Loud in Python Bytes Episode 62, but also generously donating several Talk Python 2018 Annual Course Bundles. Follow us on Twitter as @PythonOutLoud (https://twitter.com/pythonoutloud) to find out how you can win a Course Bundle.

This episode features the song "Happy Ukulele" by Scott Holmes and the songs "And So Then" and "Puzzle Pieces" by Lee Rosevere.

Thank you for your support, and stay tuned for Episode 1. We plan to discuss problem solving in Python, focusing on the so-called FizzBuzz Challenge.

Episode 0: mic_test (not just another hello-world episode) Jan 21, 2018

Episode 0 Show Notes: pythonoutloud.com/0

It's important to set realistic goals, right? So why wait to publish the acceptance speech we'd give for our Lifetime Achievement Award?

[pause for audience applause]

KC: Thank you! Thank you! Wow... {{years_podcasting}} year{{years_podcasting|pluralize}} and {{episodes_podcasted}} episode{{episodes_podcasted|pluralize}} later, and here we are! We're over-filled with emotions right now.

[pause for audience to say "awwww..."]

IL: And we want to start by thanking you, our loyal listeners. We started with Episode 0, where we introduced ourselves, explained the name "Python Out Loud", and shared our Python aha-moments. And yes, as you can see, Kevin is still wearing the exact same pajamas as when we recorded Episode 0.

[pause for audience laughter]

KC: By recording from Nagano, Japan, and Portland, Oregon, who knew we'd be the very first trans-pacific Python podcast?

[off-key violin string pulled]

IL: Hey, Kevin, the orchestra is getting restless, so let's wrap this up by thanking everyone who's inspired us and helped us along the way.

[queue futuristic finger-mounted projection unit, powered by AI, biometrics, and clean energy]

IL: First, thanks to all of the amazing Python and software-development podcasts who helped inspired us to start our own. These include, in alphabetical order...

[pause for audience applause]

KC: And thank you, especially, to Michael Kennedy for his Python Jumpstart by Building 10 Apps course, which started our first collaborative project in Python. And thanks for giving us Talk Python courses to give away on Twitter, where people followed us in droves to find out how to win!

[pause for audience applause]

IL: And thanks to Nadav Samet for making the Python Challenge!

[pause for audience applause]

KC: And thank you to the musicians whose work we've enjoyed incorporating into the show, including the song "Happy Ukulele" by Scott Holmes and the songs "Manhattan By Moonlight" and "Puzzle Pieces" by Lee Rosevere.

[pause for audience applause]

IL: And, finally, thank you to our family and friends. We literally couldn't do this without you ---

[large holographic hook snatches us from stage]

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