So, You Recommended a Python Time-Series Package … Now What?

In this day and age, influencers have a pretty big impact on what analytical approaches get used by data scientists. Social platforms are filled with posts recommending package X, Y, or Z. It seems almost certain, however, that few of those recommendations are by people who have actually used the packages, much less a collection of their alternatives.

When I published this little joke above about the situation (and probably got myself banned from Towards Data Science for life as a result) the reaction assured me that many people recognize how seemingly intractable, yet important, the issue might be. A microcosm for larger societal information curation challenges, no doubt.

The Echo Chamber Orchestra

Some influencers don’t even code at all, never mind examine the package they are suggesting others utilize. They simply see something posted and feel a need to inform their legion followers.

That’s not always a bad thing. After all, if nobody ever knows about package X then it might never even enter consideration. Recommendations take the form of posts or medium articles. Those might, in fairness, help someone get started on a particular package — and what’s not to love about soon to be stale documentation?