The Journal
View Archive →A New Start
Announcing the relaunch of the website. I've updated the Python Preferred Practices series, archived older content, and plan to contribute more regularly.
Python Preferred Practice 4: Linting
Using linters to enforce code quality and consistency in Python projects.
On the dangers of natural language programming
Why rushing to the answer deprives us of the ability to question.
Python Preferred Practice 3: Formatting
Ensuring consistent code style and layout in Python projects.
Python Preferred Practice 2: Dependency Management
UpdatedUnderstanding and implementing effective dependency management strategies.
Python Preferred Practice 1: Python Version Management
UpdatedChoosing the right Python version and using uv to manage installations across different projects seamlessly.
ChainladderGPT: Large Language Reserving
An experimental approach to actuarial reserving, testing GPT-3.5 and GPT-4's ability to complete claims development triangles by treating them as 'numeric sentences'.
Why use Python if C is faster?
Exploring why Python remains the language of choice for data science and machine learning despite lower-level languages like C being inherently faster.
A Basic Neural Network from Scratch
Implementing the basic building block of neural networks—the perceptron—using only pure Python and Numpy.
I'm an Actuary: What is Git and do I need to use it?
A guide for actuaries on understanding Git and GitHub, its role in collaborative version control, and when it becomes essential for code-based actuarial work.
I'm an Actuary: What is Docker and do I need to use it?
A practical guide for actuaries to understand containerization, what Docker is, and whether it’s necessary for traditional valuation, isolated data science, or complex application deployment.