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Draft of the Fast.ai Book (github.com)

509 points by AgharaShyam · 2415 days ago · 58 comments on HN

Article summary

The fastai book is a draft publication of Jupyter Notebooks that cover an introduction to deep learning, fastai, and PyTorch. The notebooks are used for a MOOC and form the basis of the book, which is currently available for purchase. The code in the notebooks and python files is covered by the GPL v3 license, while the remainder of the content is not licensed for redistribution or commercial use. The book is expected to be released in July.

Main themes

  • fastai book
  • deep learning
  • Jupyter Notebooks
  • PyTorch
  • machine learning
  • education

What commenters say

  • The fastai course is highly recommended for those getting into machine learning.
  • The book's lack of introduction to fastai may be a barrier for new readers.
  • The use of Jupyter Notebooks as a medium for the book is innovative and useful for interactive learning.
  • Some commenters disagree on the effectiveness of the book's format for pedagogical value.
  • The book is expected to be a valuable resource for the machine learning community.
  • The authors' approach to transparency and openness is seen as a key factor in the success of fastai.
  • There is a need for a clear explanation of what fastai is and its benefits for new readers.
  • The book's release is highly anticipated, with some commenters already finding the draft useful.