Programming Collective Intelligence
Building Smart Web 2.0 Applications
by Toby Segaran · first published 2007
72% recommend24% neutral3% critical
Why HN recommends it
Practical first taste of machine learning and recommendation systems, with Python examples for search, recommenders and classifiers. Beginner-friendly and light on prior knowledge, for self-taught programmers.
Common criticism: Some find it too shallow, with basic algorithms and an aging approach
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
This book is a practical guide to programming Web 2.0 applications. It includes sample algorithms written in Python.
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2009–2011Collective intelligence in action
Satnam Alag
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 54 recommend · 5 mention4 recommend · 54 recommend
2007–2026The Elements of Statistical Learning
Trevor Hastie, Robert Tibshirani, Jerome Friedman
Recommended by 144 · mentioned by 227144 recommend · 227 mention144 recommend · 227144 recommend
2007–2023Pattern classification
Richard O. Duda, Peter E. Hart, David G. Stork
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 98 recommend · 9 mention8 recommend · 98 recommend
2010–2012Call me Ted
Ted Turner
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 33 recommend · 3 mention3 recommend · 33 recommend
2009–2023Algorithms of the intelligent web
Haralambos Marmanis
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 85 recommend · 8 mention5 recommend · 85 recommend
2007–2012Data mining
Jiawei Han, Micheline Kamber
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 54 recommend · 5 mention4 recommend · 54 recommend
2007–2021Data mining
I. H. Witten, Ian H. Witten, Eibe Frank
Recommended by 9 · mentioned by 149 recommend · 14 mention9 recommend · 149 recommend
I can't judge the coursera course, but for anyone who is interested in this field and wants a gentle introduction, I high recommend Programming Collective Intelligence (http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596529321.do). It covers many of the types of recommender systems that the coursera course is likely to cover, and comes with a lot of nice Python code examples. It's…
on “Introduction to Recommender Systems” ↗Machine Learning by Tom Mitchell for a serious academic book. Programming Collective Intelligence by Toby Segaran for a practical approach in Python.
on “Can anyone recommend good books, articles or essays that introduce machine learning?” ↗…Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It" by Michael E. Gerber Publisher: HarperCollins "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy" by David D. Burns Publisher: Harper "Programming Collective Intelligence: Building Smart Web 2.0 Applications" by Toby Segaran Publisher: O'Reilly Media "The Non-Designer's Design Book (3rd Edition)" by Robin Williams Publisher: Peachpit Press "The C Programming…
on “Top Books on Amazon Based on Links in Hacker News Comments” ↗Can I recommend the book "Programming Collective Inteligence" (http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Collective-Intelligence-Bu...)? It doesn't actually describe a Reddit-like algorithm but it does describe looks of recommendation algorithms along with practical Python code. Should get you thinking in the right direction.
on “Popularity Algorithms” ↗Programming Collective Intelligence also has high marks from a lot of programmers whom I respect: http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Collective-Intelligence-Bu...
on “Ask HN: I want to learn statistics and data mining” ↗Another option is "Programming Collective Intelligence," by Toby Segaran. I read through it recently on a long flight to Australia. It's one of the most straight-forward AI books out there, presenting most of these algorithms in just a few pages with nice…
on “Show HN: Machine learning cheat sheet” ↗Programming Collective Intelligence - O'Reilly Media Toby Segaran Art of the start - Guy Kawasaki The art of war - Sun Tzu
on “Ask YC: What would you put on a hacker's bookshelf?” ↗FYI, if you liked this talk you might also like 'Programming Collective Intelligence'. If you haven't read it already... http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596529321/
on “Easy AI with Python” ↗That will probably be a really good book. I read Programming Collective Intelligence by Toby Segaran and took a lot from it.
on “How to Write a Spelling Corrector” ↗…as what tools are needed? Here's my take. Computer Science (Data Mining, Machine Learning): - Hard science book like PRML from Chris Bishop or Neural Networks from Haykin - Fun implementations from Programming Collective Intelligence by Toby Segaran - See practical implementations by these people: http://www.doloreslabs.com/ Statistics: - Good foundation of probability theory and calculus - Understand these slides: http://www.autonlab.org/tutorials/index.html…
on “The Rise of the Data Scientist” ↗Yes, I can certainly point you in the right direction. Toby Segaran, author of the highly esteemed and good-read Programming Collective Intelligence (published by O'Reilly, so you know it's good), released all of the source code that he talked about in the book. You can find it all here on his blog: http://blog.kiwitobes.com/?p=44. He talks about…
on “ Climbing the wrong hill” ↗There's tons of Python examples on Toby Segaran's blog: http://blog.kiwitobes.com I know you've read some Python books, but you might want to check out Segaran's books too. The examples in Programming Collective Intelligence [http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596529321] are all Python too I think..
on “Ask HN: Really great Python code” ↗I would add: Programming Collective Intelligence (O'reilly) http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596529321 http://ianma.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/machine-learning-for-b... Practical Artificial Intelligence Programming in Java http://www.markwatson.com/opencontent/
on “Guide to getting started in Machine Learning” ↗I can't speak highly enough of "Programming Collective Intelligence" by Toby Segaran. It's not everything, you'd need other books, but it covers "fantastic applications" of techniques. It has really clear explanations from real-world scenarios, followed by extremely clear…
on “Ask HN: Statistics for hackers?” ↗Anathem, by Neal Stephenson Consider Phlebas, by Iain M. Banks Selfish Gene, by Richard Dawkins Business Stripped Bare, by Richard Branson Programming Collective Intelligence, by Toby Segaran Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Pirsig
on “Ask HN: Great books you read in 2009?” ↗