Learning Resources

There was a point where most of my learning came from books. I would say up until 2004, almost all my learning either came from books or forums, with occasional podcasts. Nowadays though, almost all comes from LinkedInLearning, Pluralsight, or YouTube. I keep up with tech news from podcasts and newsletters. And of course, I can't leave out Stackoverflow when I'm stumped for an answer to an immediate problem.

Here I list all my learning resources - how I've trained myself over the years and will continue. I've classified all of these into four sections:

  1. News
  2. In Depth
  3. Generic Understanding
  4. Troubleshooting

I. News

This is how I stay in tune with what's currently happening in the world of technology, with special attention to areas that are dear to me: software development, security, privacy, photography, and videography. I mostly consume these on my daily commute.

Podcasts

Newsletters

You get an email weekly of what's going on in the world of:

Blogs (through RSS feeds)

My main RSS reader is Newsblur. They have a fantastic iOS app to read and share RSS feeds. $36/year for unlimited feeds is well worth it. For free, you only get 64.

This is a list of the RSS feeds I subscribe, which you can import in Newsblur. They are OPML files. You can pick one of these areas, or get all feeds into one.

II. In Depth

When I need to be proficient, master a certain a topic, or just have a passion for a topic. I usually lean more towards LinkedInLearning for my needs over Pluralsight. Partly because of the iOS app, which LinkedInLearning's is much better. For books, I go to the Safari library.

Video

  • Pluralsight - They have more software development topics than LinkedInLearning. I do prefer the teaching styles of LinkedInLearning instructors, however. To each his own. I check out Pluralsight whenever LinkedInLearning doesn't cover a certain topic.

Books

Most of my reading takes place either on my phone or iPad. Occasionally, if I'm up to it, I get the printed version.

  • Safari Books Online - I feel like they cover just about any book I would want in technology. The price is hefty, and I'm so glad it's covered by my organization.
  • SitePoint Books

Schools

These are a few institutions I've been to for learning stuff. Remember, you're paying for the experience of immersing yourself with people who are in (or want to be) in the same field, and an instructor you can ask any question.

III. Generic Understanding

There are some topics where I need to learn just tip of the iceberg. Get a little exposure. These are the places I go to.

YouTube Channels

The most used resource I used today. Besides for my news and entertainment, I use it quite a bit for learning.