Digits, Revisited

Abstract

In Chapter 1, we explored together the digit recognizer problem, and wrote a classifier from scratch. In this final chapter, we are going to revisit that problem, from two different angles: performance, and useful tools. Chapters 1 to 7 were primarily focused on implementing algorithms to solve various problems, and discovering machine learning concepts in the process. By contrast, this chapter is more intended as a series of practical tips which can be useful in various situations. We will use the digit recognizer model we created in Chapter 1 as a familiar reference point, and use it to illustrate techniques that are broadly applicable to other situations.