I think one of the major reasons why I partake in any sort of activity, be it intellectual or physical, the trait that stands out to be is usually the community. Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about using certain software tools, especially in the world of data science as it’s getting more and more hyped. New people will always want to search for what/how to best become a part of the hype.

Like joining a sports team, usually you’ll have the choice of a couple teams to try out with, and determine which one is the best for your skill level. With data science, the common question usually is “Should I learn R or Python?” And my advice is to go seek out the communities of both. Go on Twitter and see how many people you can find who are willing to help answer your questions (for free!). Go on IRC (yeah I’m old), and see who is willing you give you the time of day. Go to your local Meetup groups and see what kind of people you can collaborate with in real life. Read some open source projects, or even blogs, and determine which one is for you.

Because by and by, they’re both going to be great options, but ultimately everybody will have a different experience because of how they seek out interactions.