Special Issue! Foundational Algorithms, Where They Came From, Where They're Going

Years ago, I had to choose between a neural network and a decision tree learning algorithm. It was necessary to pick an efficient one, because we planned to apply the algorithm to a very large set of users on a limited compute budget. I went with a neural network. I hadn't used boosted decision trees in a while, and I thought they required more computation than they actually do -- so I made a bad call. Fortunately, my team quickly revised my decision, and the project was successful. This experience was a lesson in the importance of learning, and continually refreshing, foundational knowledge. If I had refreshed my familiarity with boosted trees, I would have made a better decision.