Distributed Computing 4 Kids and Executives: Solving Hard Problems with Garden Gnomes and ASF Spark

How do you solve the biggest problems of today? You harness the power of teamwork, with computers, friends, or garden gnomes. Distributed Computing 4 Kids and Executives teaches how to solve big problems with garden gnomes (and later computers). These techniques power modern AI, search, and recommendation systems.

This book is for kids interested in learning how to solve large problems, or executives looking to understand what their data science team is up to and why their cloud and AI bill keeps growing.

The book is in two parts going from garden gnomes in part one to computers in part two. The first part explains the concepts of distributed computing like how work can be split up and combined.

For readers looking to turn the concepts into reality the second part goes into actual code with Python and Apache Spark, a distributed computing framework.

Both kids and Executives can benefit from having helpers if they choose to pursue the second part, although they'll find them in different places. For kids a librarian or parent who understands computers can be a great helper. Executives should reach out to their data science group or experienced intern who may be able to help them connect to their actual business data.

Big Data and Large Language Models don't have to mean a big headache. Grab your helper, pour some tea, and get started!