TOP 5 REASONS WHY ONE MUST LEARN PYTHON

 Coding continues to be a buzzword today and indeed, there are many programming languages one can learn now. That said, if you are looking to start learning coding, then Python is a great starting point. A general purpose, high-level programming language, Python is a very popular language and an ideal choice for beginners, including kids and teens.

✓ Below are the top 5 reasons why one should learn Python today…

1. Most popular coding language today: One of the most popular programming languages in the world now, Python climbed from third place to tie for second in the 2020 ranking of programming language popularity published by the analyst firm RedMonk. Moreover, its popularity continues to increase with time.

2. Easy-to-learn and experiment with: One of the easiest programming languages to learn, Python has syntax that is a lot like English. It also lets programmers write concepts in fewer lines of code, making Python very efficient and fast. This is a great advantage to beginners. Moreover, Python is quite flexible as a coding language; unlike many other languages, it allows developers to experiment.

3. Enjoys support of good documentation and community plus an extensive network of Python libraries: There are a lot of guides and video tutorials one can look at while working with Python. This community support makes it very easy for anyone to get started with computer science through Python language. Moreover, Python has many libraries that one can use to minimise one’s time and effort during development. For instance, matplotlib can be used for plotting charts and graphs; SciPy for engineering applications, science, and mathematics; BeautifulSoup for HTML parsing and XML; NumPy for scientific computing and Django for server-side web development.

4. Versatility and Cross-industry appeal: Python can be used in many types of environments such as mobile applications, desktop applications, web development, hardware programming, and many more. This makes it a highly versatile coding language. Today it is widely used are Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things (IOT), Full Stack Web Development, Computer Vision, Machine Learning and Artificial intelligence.

5. Backed by top colleges and the corporate world: Python enjoys support from the majority of the top computer science college programs; more often than not it is the first language taught as part of the computer science curriculum. Similarly, it has seen support from Facebook, Amazon Web Services and Google. In fact, many of Google’s applications and platforms use Python.

Where can one start learning Python? There is no scarcity of free learning resources today; one can easily look up free tutorials online. However, it is a good idea to consider joining a coding class for greater accountability. California-based YoungWonks is a top coding program for kids and teens. It offers students personalised attention in live lessons and gives them a top-notch introduction to electronics and computer science, encouraging them to unleash their creativity by making new programs, apps, websites and electronic devices from off-the-shelf electronics hardware. Its students have even won first prizes at the RoboRave International 2018, RoboRave California 2018 and RoboRave US National 2017 .

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TOP 5 STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS

 

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A Student Ambassador Program is a kind of program that is started by organizations or companies to maintain their brand presence, to promote their product or services among college/university students. 

The companies select and appoint a limited number of campus ambassadors to represent them on their respective campuses. Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador is one of the best examples of the Campus Ambassador Program. It Selects limited students from campuses and they are trained in various Microsoft technologies and also by giving access to most of their products and services. These student ambassadors then, teach their fellow students what they have learned.

In this article, we list down top campus programs helmed by noted tech companies:-

1. Campus Ambassador At Coding Ninjas

Coding Ninjas is a diverse mix of educators-turned-programmers as well as programmers-turned-educators. The responsibilities of Campus Ambassador at Coding Ninjas include organize hackathons and talks(pre-placement) which are to be conducted at colleges, creating programming contests on CodeZen, maintain relevant databases, and other such.

2. HackerEarth Student Ambassador

The HackerEarth University Ambassador Program is a platform for students who are passionate about programming to start and run an active programming club in their university. The tasks of the Student Ambassador will include promoting competitive programming within the university, organize programming events and meetups, organize programming competitions, and get sponsored by HackerEarth and others.

3. OnePlus Student Ambassador

OnePlus Student Ambassador Program is a six-month-long campus connect program which aims to form a network of like-minded students across India. The goal of the student ambassadors will be to serve as the OnePlus community specialists, brand evangelists, and technology experts in their respective institutions.

4. Github Campus Experts

The GitHub Campus Expert program includes learning various types of technical and professional skills such as technical writing, community leadership, public speaking, and most of all, software development. As a GitHub Campus Expert, the candidate will receive training and mentorship from GitHub employees, opportunities to participate in exclusive events, and support to help and grow the developer community.  

5. Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador

Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors (formerly Microsoft Student Partner) is a program to sponsor students who are majoring in technology-related disciplines. Student ambassadors are a group of on-campus ambassadors who helps fellow students, lead in their local tech community as well as develop technical and career skills for the future.   

>> LEARN MORE ABOUT MICROSOFT LEARN STUDENT AMBASSADORS AND MY EXPERIENCE:- Read Here

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How to Make a Timer in Scratch

 How to Make a Timer in Scratch (Beginners 8+) | Juni Learning

How to Get Started

This article will teach you how to make a timer in Scratch, the free visual programming language. The script we describe here fits perfectly into any Scratch coding project, especially games!

Timers are great for beginner Scratchers that want an easy way to make their Scratch games or projects more interesting.

To follow along, make sure to first do these steps:

1. Become a new Scratcher by making an account at the Scratch website, https://scratch.mit.edu.

2. Start with a new game project, or create a simple game project with our beginner’s guide to Scratch games tutorial.

Why use timers?

Timers are a simple way to make any type of game more engaging and fun to play. They’re not very difficult to code, and they can add a ton of fun when implemented properly! The main function of a timer is to add stakes to your game. If the player runs out of time while playing, they lose!

This same idea can be used in tons of different ways. Players can try to get as many points as possible before running out of time or try to solve a challenging puzzle before running out of time. Because of their flexibility, timers are present in some of the most popular games, from Fortnite to Super Mario. They’re also a staple in Scratch projects, such as our Scratch Pearl Collector game.

How to Code a Scratch Countdown Timer

In order to make a timer in Scratch, we’ll need to use a variable. The Scratch Wiki has a great introduction to variables. Check it out if you’re not sure what they are!

After refreshing yourself on variables, create a new variable by navigating to the Variables section of the block menu. The Make a Variable button will take you to a new screen in order to create your new variable.

>> ALSO READ:- Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Program

Click “Make a Variable” under the Variables section to create a new variable.

You’ll be prompted to enter a new variable name. The name you put here will be the name that displays on your game screen, so make it something descriptive! We decided to name our timer variable Time Remaining. Additionally, make sure that the For all sprites button is clicked! This will ensure that all sprites in your project can access the timer variable.

Name your variable something descriptive, and check “For all sprites.”

Finally, after creating this variable, check the box to the left of the variable in the block menu. This tells Scratch to display the variable on the stage, making it visible to the player.

Make sure to check the checkbox next to your new variable to make it visible on the stage.

Now that we’ve created our timer variable, let’s write code to make it a functional timer! We can write this code on any sprite — it won’t make a big difference.

Write this code script for any sprite to set a timer for your Scratch game.

This is a simple Scratch script that creates a functional timer. Here’s a simple explanation of how this works:

1. The timer begins running when the green flag is clicked.

2. The “Time Remaining” variable keeps track of the amount of time you have left. It starts at 60 seconds and resets back to 60 whenever the green flag is clicked. You can customize this timer to the number of seconds you’d like! Simply change the 60 to your desired amount of time.

3. The actual timer runs in a loop. It repeats 60 times because we decided that our timer would last for 60 seconds.

4. Inside of the loop, we wait 1 second, then change our variable by -1. This means that every second, the Time Remaining variable decreases by one.

5. After repeating 60 times, the Time Remaining variable is equal to 0! This means that we are out of time, and the loop finished.

6. When the timer ends, the script moves on to say Game Over for 2 seconds.

7. Finally, the stop-all block brings the rest of your game to a halt when time runs out.

That’s pretty simple, right? We set a variable to 60, then decrease it until the value of the timer reaches zero. Once that happens, the timer stops, and time is up!

Test It Out Yourself

In our step-by-step article on how to make a game on Scratch, we made a simple game about collecting pearls. We can add a timer to this in order to make it more engaging!

Check out our Advanced Pearl Collector game project to see what it looks like with a timer. Play the game and see how much a timer adds to it!

Our advanced mermaid game is a good example of how timers can be added to Scratch games.

A Different Timer: The Built-in Scratch Timer

In addition to the script we just wrote, Scratch also offers a built-in timer variable under the Sensing tab.

However, this timer behaves rather strangely — it’s not usually what we want to use for our games. Instead of a countdown timer like above, the built-in Timer block acts as a stopwatch. It can be used to keep track of how long the game has been running for and is super accurate!

The way the timer works can be confusing. It begins at 0 and starts counting upwards as soon as you open your Scratch project. To see this timer displayed on your screen, navigate to the Sensing category in the block menu and check the box next to the timer variable. Now, it should show up in the stage next to the other variables in your project.

Find the timer variable in the Sensing category, and check the box to add it to your stage.

The reset timer block will reset the timer back to 0 seconds. To keep track of how long the player has been playing, we reset the timer to 0 when the green flag is clicked.

This script lets you use the built-in Scratch timer as a stopwatch in projects.

Now, we can use this timer to keep track of exactly how long the player has been playing the game! While this might not be as useful as our countdown timer script, it still has informative and creative applications in Scratch projects.

What’s Next: More Scratch Tutorials

Adding a timer is a great bonus feature to add to any kind of game! It adds an extra layer of challenge for players to test their skills and get even more immersed.

Some other ways to make your games more fun are adding more mechanics, or improving on ones you already have. Check out these tutorials to spice up your projects:

• How to make a simple game in Scratch

• How to make a Scratch sprite jump (another essential game mechanic)

• How to make Scratch sprites move smoothly (a better way to move)

• How to make game levels in Scratch

Additionally, stay tuned for our step-by-step Scratch coding tutorials on how to make specific types of games in Scratch.

Scratch Coding Classes for Kids

Juni Learning offers project-based Scratch coding courses for kids 8-11 to get started with coding. Our Scratch curriculum prepares students with full mastery of the Scratch environment and prepares them to advance into coding with more advanced, text-based coding languages like Python.

A Juni Instructor teaches Scratch to a student.

• Game Superstar (Scratch Level 1 course): introduces computer science fundamentals and teaches students how to build and design their own Scratch games.

• Game Master (Scratch Level 2 course): covers more complex concepts like nested loops, complex conditionals, cloning, and more in preparation for learning more advanced coding languages.

Check out our online courses for kids coding, or contact our admissions team to learn which course is best for your student!

>> MUST WATCH:- Data Scientist Vs Machine Learning Engineer

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com.

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WHAT IS LINKEDIN AND ITS IMPORTANCE

 

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>> WHAT IS LINKEDIN?

Basically, LinkedIn is a social networking community. It is a place for working professionals, college students to connect with tech recruiters, professors, CEOs, and people belonging to your industry, discuss business ideas, search for jobs and look for new hires, etc.

LinkedIn provides great tools and resources to their users to create resumes, professional-looking profiles that allow other site members to learn more about their business background, their areas of expertise, and groups or organizations they belong to, Also once users create their profile, they can add other users to their network also.

>>ALSO READ:- Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador

>> HOW IT IS BENEFICIAL FOR STUDENTS?

1. Keep an eye on career paths:- By observing the career paths of your seniors, alumni, you can choose your own. This helps you better understand the latest industry operations and insight.

2. Prepare for job interviews:- Keeping a background check is not only the employer’s job, you too can check the interviewer’s profile to have prior knowledge about them. this helps you at the time of interviews a lot.

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3. Get endorsement and referrals:- You can expand the network to many levels by telling your connections to refer you to a person you are interested in. or you can refer them too.

4. Grab an internship while still in college:- LinkedIn is a splendid platform to show your skills and grab the opportunity for an internship opening at a good firm.

5. Expand your resume:- Having the limit of a single page resume upload facility in many job applications can prove to be an issue for many who want to share different aspects of their skills, but with LinkedIn, you just have to provide your profile URL and you can get the employer to visit the complete resume.

>> MUST READ:-Top 5 benefits of competitive programming

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TOP 5 MOST IMPORTANT CRYPTOCURRENCIES IN FUTURE

What is cryptocurrency?

A cryptocurrency is a form of payment that can be exchanged online for goods and services. Many companies have issued their own currencies, often called tokens, and these can be traded specifically for the good or service that the company provides. Think of them as you would arcade tokens or casino chips. You’ll need to exchange real currency for the cryptocurrency to access the good or service.

Cryptocurrencies work using a technology called a blockchain. Blockchain is a decentralized technology spread across many computers that manage and record transactions.

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How many cryptocurrencies are there? Are they worth it?

There are 6,700+ different cryptocurrencies are traded publicly. The cryptocurrencies continue to proliferate, raising money through initial coin offerings, or ICOs. The total value of all cryptocurrencies on Feb 25, 2021, was more than $1.7 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap, and the total value of all bitcoins, the most popular digital currency, was pegged at about $970 billion.

1. Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum is a decentralized software platform that enables Smart Contracts and Decentralized Applications (DApps) to be built and run without any downtime, fraud, control, or interference from a third party. The goal behind Ethereum is to create a decentralized suite of financial products that anyone in the world can have free access to, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or faith. This aspect makes the implications for those in some countries more compelling, as those without state infrastructure and state identifications can get access to bank accounts, loans, insurance, or a variety of other financial products. it's a valuable cryptocurrency and has a total estimated quantity of 84 million in market cap.

2. Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin is a new currency that was created in 2009 by an unknown person using the alias Satoshi Nakamoto. Transactions are made with no middlemen – meaning, no banks! Bitcoin can be used to book hotels on Expedia, shop for furniture on Overstock, and buy Xbox games. But much of the hype is about getting rich by trading it. The price of bitcoin skyrocketed into the thousands in 2017. and nowadays, it's the most expensive cryptocurrency to invest in.

>>ALSO READ:- Machine Learning VS Deep Learning

3. Litecoin (LTC)

Litecoin, launched in 2011, was among the first cryptocurrencies to follow in the footsteps of Bitcoin and has often been referred to as “silver to Bitcoin’s gold.” Litecoin is based on an open-source global payment network that is not controlled by any central authority and uses "script" as a proof of work, which can be decoded with the help of CPUs of consumer-grade. Although Litecoin is like Bitcoin in many ways, it has a faster block generation rate and hence offers a faster transaction confirmation time.

4. Bitcoin Cash (BCH)

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) holds an important place in the history of altcoins because it is one of the earliest and most successful hard forks of the original Bitcoin. In the cryptocurrency world, a fork takes place as the result of debates and arguments between developers and miners.

5. Binance Coin (BNB)

Binance Coin is a utility cryptocurrency that operates as a payment method for the fees associated with trading on the Binance Exchange. Those who use the token as a means of payment for the exchange can trade at a discount. Binance Coin’s blockchain is also the platform that Binance’s decentralized exchange operates on. The exchange is one of the most widely used exchanges in the world based on trading volumes. 

>>MUST READ:- Data Structure and their Importance

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TOP 5 BENEFITS OF COMPETITIVE PROGRAMMING

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1. It makes you familiar with their coding questions:-

 I'm from my experience can say that practicing on various competitive platforms like codechef, leetcode, topcoder, and codeforces, etc make you familiar with the data structure & algorithms questions mostly asked in top software companies, so that you become comfortable while solving such questions during interviews.

2. It makes you faster and focused:-

Training and taking part in programming contests of such sites make you more and more disciplined, faster, and a focused coder. In the competition, you must solve problems in stressful situations and do it up against a deadline or you will lose. Taking part in competitive programming teaches you how to be more focused on the task and not only complete it quickly, but accurately. These skills are highly beneficial for any job, not just in coding.

>> MUST READ:- Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Program And My Experience

3. It helps you in solving complicated DS & ALGO problems:-

In top companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. You will solve complex problems, which are not for ordinary programmers. While you are practicing, you will learn how to solve these out of the ordinary tasks. This helps prepare you for a job because you can adapt and solve various types of problems.

4. It teaches you teamwork coordination:-

This is a very important skill, as most jobs will require you at some point to work in a team. Competitive programming helps you learn how to effectively work together, as you must work with others on your team to complete the same task. You learn how to assess your team members’ strength and weaknesses and effectively divide responsibilities between each other.

5. Participation and practicing helps you prepare for a career in coding:-

Participating in a coding competition is something you should absolutely highlight on your resume. Nowadays having experience in competitive programming shows employers you can work in a team, solve complicated problems, work in stressful situations, manage time and deadlines and minimize errors.

>> ALSO READ:- How To Get Financial Aid on Coursera Courses

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