Machine Learning For Dummies

Bought that as a new learning tool. It does the job. Good book.

I am reading through rad Kuhns brilliant Applied Predictive Modelling, and various other detailed Machine learning texts. (Gave up on numerous books when the maths got too heavy. ) I bought this as a lighter summer refresher read, and to get into applying R Machine learning.This book is really quite impressive in providing a lot of useful insight and explanation into core machine learning principles and application. So after a rather slow start on justifications of machine learning and the necessary setting up of both Python and R Machine learning, the book eventually gets into the real subject matter at Chapt 9, and goes through basic probabilistic, naïve bayes, before concentrating on Gradient descents , Overfitting, PCA and SVD reduction, k Means clustering and K nearest neighbour classification algorithms are easily explained. Then in to the linear methods, Neural nets, SVMs and Random Forests are well explained. The EigenFaces explanation and execution for Face recognition was new to me, even though I have read a number of detailed deeper books on Machine learning. Extensive links are provided throughout and within context the text to offer expansions on detail, without detracting from the flow.If you want an easier introduction to Machine Learning, without being exposed to excessive maths to cloud your insights, this is an excellent way to get into the subject and start applying the technology in Python and R from the get go. Don't be a ML snob, get this book if you want to get into ML.

Best

The topics tend to jump about a bit and the language primers are minimal. I would recommend reading up on R and Python to gain the most from this book.It is what it is, a beginners guide so on the whole its worth a read before moving on to a more advanced book.

Like all of the "For Dummies" range, this book has lots of detail and goes quite in depth, but in an easy to follow way that's set out clearly. My husband studies and works in this field, and said that he was quite impressed with the book and found it useful

This is another excellent book from the For Dummies stable. Clear, well-organised and approachable. And the subject is right up there at the cutting edge of computing. Back in the olden days when I learned programming it was all reports and maths - now, here we are teaching computers to learn and to think. It is brilliant stuff! This book will take you through the basics from an overview of AI and how machines learn, to the two main languages (R and Python) you need, and how to use them - and what the programs you create can do for you. It covers installation and use of programs on all home computer compatible operating systems: Linux, Windows and Mac.Machine learning has amazing possibilities - it enables computers to learn from the real world and this has so many applications: sales, medicine, criminology, automotive functions and so much more. It is amazing - and this excellent book makes a great first text for anyone studying or wanting to study the subject.

Good starter text

A great introduction to machine learning. I work in an analytical team and got this book as an addition to our team bookcase.The book serves as a good first step in understanding what machine learning is and include both R and Python code; this is particularly useful as both codes are open source and free to use.Some have said that the book is too basic but I think there is plenty to get your teeth into here. Once this book has been mastered you might want to buy something not for dummies.