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The Talk

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Re: The Talk

#2
I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way. Imagine an organic chemistry comic novel!

I think people make a lot of topics seem way more complicated than they need to be, probably to make themselves feel important.

Re: The Talk

#3
post #2

I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way. Imagine an organic chemistry comic novel! I think people make a lot of topics seem way more complicated than they need to be, probably to make themselves feel important.

It might be deeper: if one has poor understanding of a subject, one will do a poor job of explaining it. I find that usually manifests in more complex explanations than otherwise, if only because I haven't yet figured out the general cases (and so must compensate with more exceptions).

Re: The Talk

#4
post #2

I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way. Imagine an organic chemistry comic novel! I think people make a lot of topics seem way more complicated than they need to be, probably to make themselves feel important.

In that case, I recommend "The Manga Guide to ..." series. [1]

I haven't read all of them, but they're a good attempt. (If you enjoy or can tolerate the quirkiness of japanese manga style.)

Check out The Manga Guide to Databases

https://smile.amazon.com/Manga-Guide-Databases-Mana-Takahash...

or The Manga Guide to Statistics

https://smile.amazon.com/Manga-Guide-Statistics-Shin-Takahas...

or The Manga Guide to Linear Algebra

https://smile.amazon.com/Manga-Guide-Linear-Algebra/dp/15932...

[1] https://www.nostarch.com/manga

From the top Amazon review on The Manga Guide to Databases:

"STORY: A friend loaned me this book to show her, so I gave it to her and asked her to try it. If she read the first 10 pages and it was boring, she should stop. If she liked it, she could keep it until she was done. She opened it on the spot and was 20 pages in before she realized she still was standing in the middle of our kitchen. One day later, she was finished and said it was "cool" and that she liked it.

I asked her if she learned anything or if it was just a story and she started talking. She said a little bit and talked about tables and how information is stored in columns and rows. She talked in a 9 year old's language and vocabulary, but basically explained to me the concept and benefits of centralized data stored in a single database. She made a couple other comments whose specifics I can't remember, but clearly articulated database ideas. It was somewhat surreal hearing these things come from a 3rd grader's mouth. She didn't feel like she had learned very much. I told her I probably could count on my fingers how many people at my work (300 people total - manufacturing industry, not IT) knew more about databases than she did, based on what she had finished telling me."

Re: The Talk

#5
post #2

I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way. Imagine an organic chemistry comic novel! I think people make a lot of topics seem way more complicated than they need to be, probably to make themselves feel important.

The Cartoon Guide to Genetics is terrific. I remember the material in there because it's presented so well.

Re: The Talk

#6
post #2

I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way. Imagine an organic chemistry comic novel! I think people make a lot of topics seem way more complicated than they need to be, probably to make themselves feel important.

> I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way.

The rubber duck strikes again.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging

Re: The Talk

#7
post #4
post #2

I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way. Imagine an organic chemistry comic novel! I think people make a lot of topics seem way more complicated than they need to be, probably to make themselves feel important.

In that case, I recommend "The Manga Guide to ..." series. [1] I haven't read all of them, but they're a good attempt. (If you enjoy or can tolerate the quirkiness of japanese manga style.) Check out The Manga Guide to Databases https://smile.amazon.com/Manga-Guide-Databases-Mana-Takahash... or The Manga Guide to Statistics https://smile.amazon.com/Manga-Guide-Statistics-Shin-Takahas... or The Manga Guide to Linear A…

Thanks for the links! I have to take Linear Algebra after this winter break and the manga guide to Linear Algebra looks like it could be a good primer to my course.

Re: The Talk

#8
post #2

I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way. Imagine an organic chemistry comic novel! I think people make a lot of topics seem way more complicated than they need to be, probably to make themselves feel important.

> I'd like to see more complex topics explained this way. The rubber duck strikes again. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging

http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/the-rubber-duck-method

Re: The Talk

#9
For the first time viewers: don't miss to hover over the cartoon (or on the iOS, long press on the image):

"Somewhere in the multiverse, there's a superior universe where all comics are this dorktastic."

And the big red button at the end:

"Out-nerd me now, Randall!"

----

And more to read: Scott Aaronson's "Making of The Talk":

http://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=3058

Re: The Talk

#10
post #7
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In that case, I recommend "The Manga Guide to ..." series. [1] I haven't read all of them, but they're a good attempt. (If you enjoy or can tolerate the quirkiness of japanese manga style.) Check out The Manga Guide to Databases https://smile.amazon.com/Manga-Guide-Databases-Mana-Takahash... or The Manga Guide to Statistics https://smile.amazon.com/Manga-Guide-Statistics-Shin-Takahas... or The Manga Guide to Linear A…

Thanks for the links! I have to take Linear Algebra after this winter break and the manga guide to Linear Algebra looks like it could be a good primer to my course.

Make sure you pick up Axler's "Linear Algebra Done Right". It is my definite pick for someone entering the topic. And the second edition has a solutions manual floating around, which is very useful for practice (more importantly, every theorem proof in a math book is the solution to a practice problem...).
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