What can I work on for two months? | Hacker News Reader

What can I work on for two months?

5 pointsrextaylor2 comments

I'm currently in summer vacation and was wondering what I can do to push my python knowledge/skills further.

I just recently learned python from diveintopython last month and I've built some small scripts and utilities for personal use; however, I'm somehow unsatisfied with this. I just feel like I need more, maybe something bigger.

I literally have spent days trying to come up with an idea of a good project that I could do but I just can't come up with anything and I don't think I have enough python skills to contribute to an open source project. I wouldn't know how to start either.

So, HN, I'm wondering if you have any tips or advice that you can pass on to me? If it's any help, I'm interested in text processing, data parsing, stuff like that.

Pick some web services at random a build a mashup: http://www.programmableweb.com/.

There are libraries that can make consuming APIs even easier. Find a python web framework like Django, Pylons, or maybe even what Google App Engine has, and learn the basics. No matter what mashup you come up with, you'll have to figure out how to work with databases, how to turn the data into something useful, and how to do a basic HTML/Javascript frontend.

Thinking about it more, App Engine would be a good idea since it'll get you up and running without having to make too many decisions about frameworks or databases, etc. Just go with what they give you.

Good luck!

Multiple video summary tool. Condenses many videos into one short, concise summary, with the ability to jump into the "full" video at a click.

Users watch the source video. They click and hold a button to determine which parts are important as a summary. The software builds a model of which parts most people find most beneficial as a summary.

The system then creates a single video out of these, first version could just be a simple playlist with time in/out markers.

The idea would be to condense entire sections of khanacademy to 10-20 second summaries, so you can see where you are lacking quickly and then jump into the detail.

Just another one of my ideas I don't have time to try :)

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