Brittbot

Category: Programming Videos

Posts about the various programming videos I use to learn.

  • YouTube University: My Experience Using It To Learn Coding

    YouTube University: My Experience Using It To Learn Coding

    I discussed in a previous post about my usage of YouTube University to improve my coding skills. While I love the platform there are some pros and cons to using it to learn anything, including programming languages.

    Pros Of YouTube University

    It’s Free

    The biggest pro for this platform is that it’s free! It’s that way due to ads. Yes, I know people don’t like ads, myself included, but YouTube is quite expensive to run so it needs to make money somehow to keep delivering content. It’s worth it in my opinion, however. It allows people from all over the world to learn about different topics, or upload content to teach others.

    Basically Unlimited Choice Of Content

    Speaking of content there’s basically an unlimited choice for any type of learning. That’s why I love using it to improving my coding skills. I can learn different programming languages, or do a deep-dive into a particular language. If I get tired of that, I can learn how to write efficient code, or broaden my understanding of data structures. Really, I’m only limited by my search queries.

    It’s Easy To Try Out Content

    Unlike other online video platforms like Udemy, it’s incredibly easy to try out different types of learning for a particular category or different categories. I don’t have to purchase another course, or extend my subscription.

    Cons Of YouTube University

    Plenty Of Outdated Content

    This is the biggest con for me regarding YouTube University because I find myself wasting time on outdated content. Especially if I’m trying to follow along with a tutorial, utilize a snippet of code, or try out an application. That’s why I try to watch videos under one to two years old, but that does exclude good content sometimes.

    Outdated And Recent Information In Videos

    Then I find that some recent videos include both outdated and recent information in them. Again, I only discover this when I try to implement a technique in my code editor, or want to try out an interesting bit of software.

    Creators Pushing Viewers To Their Paid Content

    I have no problems with a creator offering paid content because they need to make a living too. However, when a creator becomes too pushy, or only offers a sliver of their content for free, I get a little upset. I think it would be better to create free, but informative videos, that then advertise paid content. That way I can determine if that creator is worth a financial investment from me.

    Poor Audio/Video Quality

    I still find videos that have either poor audio or video quality, or both. It’s distracting and causes me to leave the video almost immediately.

  • Learning Programming From YouTube University

    Learning Programming From YouTube University

    I’m currently learning programming from YouTube University. This is after using other online learning websites like Udemy and Coursera. I will go into detail why I chose to use YouTube over those websites in a future post. In this post I’ll cover the channels I watch/subscribe to, and what content I’m consuming.

    Learning Programming From YouTube University: Focusing On Python

    I’m focusing on the Python programming language so most of the videos I watch is about that language. I started out with a refresher from the FreeCodeCamp channel using this video since I already know the language. Then I progressed to refreshing my Object Oriented Programming (OOP) skills using another video on their channel. Both of these videos were great because they were concise and presented by knowledgeable trainers/presenters. That’s why I suggest the FreeCodeCamp channel to anyone interested in learning to code.

    In addition to that channel I also recommend the Indently channel because the creator does an awesome job of explaining Python topics and concepts in a simple and clear fashion. The creator also provides both Shorts and long-form content to explain how to use concepts like like decorators to how to write well-defined functions. This channel is also informative because the creator covers the latest updates to the Python programming language (version 3.13).

    “Taking” Harvard’s CS50 Class

    Oh yes, as part of my learning programming from YouTube University regiment I’m “taking” Harvard’s CS50 course. Well, maybe I should say watching because that’s what I’m doing. I’m watching the videos from the 2024 version collected in their course playlist on the CS50 channel.

    I know this course has its admirers and haters. I’ve watched videos from both camps to learn about the pros and cons of the course. With that in mind I’m watching each lecture with a neutral mindset as I want to develop my own opinion about the course. So far I’ve finished Lecture 0 and slowly progressing through Lecture 1. I’m taking my time so I can actually learn the information provided.

    Learning Programming From YouTube University: YouTube Premium Is Necessary

    I wouldn’t suggest anyone take on this endeavor without purchasing YouTube Premium as the constant ad interruption will disruption learning. I understand the cost can be prohibitive for some, but it’s worth it! As a long-time subscriber to the service, YouTube Premium makes navigating between different types of videos a breeze. I don’t worry about unskippable ads, or worrying about an ad break popping in when a particular tutorial or lecture gets good.

  • Learn Python Using The FreeCodeCamp YouTube Channel

    Learn Python Using The FreeCodeCamp YouTube Channel

    For anyone wanting to learn a programming language I tend to suggest Python. It’s the first language I learned so there’s some bias with my answer. There’s various ways to learn any programming language, including Python, from going to college to buying Udemy courses. I have nothing against those options, but I rather someone get started for free. That’s why I suggest to learn Python using the FreeCodeCamp YouTube channel.

    Here’s Why You Should Learn Python Using The FreeCodeCamp YouTube Channel

    The main reason why I suggest individuals use FreeCodeCamp’s YouTube channel becuase it’s free! I rather someone invest their time than their money in a new topic they may or may not like. While some may feel bad for wasting their time on watching one or more videos if they discover they don’t like programming, they won’t feel as bad if they wasted money on courses or even attending a bootcamp.

    That’s something I see too often with those new to programming. They rush to Udemy to buy course after course that’s on sale. Many of those people start watching one or more of their courses, but few completely finish watching all the videos and completing all the coursework. Others get the idea to attend a bootcamp or a college after getting ads for them while researching their options. The problem I have with this is that both are quite expensive and require a long time committment. (Although a bootcamp is shorter than getting a college degree, most last for several months.)

    Another reason to learn Python using the FreeCodeCamp YouTube channel is the high-quality of the videos along with the extensive knowledge of their instructors. In addition, their videos are easy to follow and separated into chapters. Thus, any student can learn by one chapter at a time, or consume the entire video in one sitting.

    Here’s a video I highly recommend to beginners:

    It’s about 4 hours and thirty minutes in length, but the instructor and the training material is so good the time flies by! This video is 3 years old, meaning outdated information pops up. I saw this in the chapters helping the viewer install Python onto their computer and the PyCharm IDE.