computer science

RedMonk

RedMonk is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand RedMonk rather than just read about it. In short: RedMonk is an industry analyst firm focused on software developers and headquartered in Portland, Maine, United States. It was founded on the premise of the increasing influence of software developers in the technology industry.

Key takeaways

RedMonk belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect RedMonk to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of RedMonk from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

RedMonk is an industry analyst firm focused on software developers and headquartered in Portland, Maine, United States. It was founded on the premise of the increasing influence of software developers in the technology industry. RedMonk co-founder Stephen O'Grady authored a book on "The New Kingmakers: How Developers Conquered the World" which details this premise and a book on "The Software Paradox: The Rise and Fall of the Commercial Software Market" which considers the changing role of commercial software. RedMonk covers trends in the software industry such as the top-used programming languages.

Awards RedMonk co-founder James Governor was awarded the Women in Marketing Equality Advocate award in 2016. RedMonk was highly ranked in a number of categories from the Institute of Industry Analyst Relations in 2008, specifically:

Analyst of the year #3: James Governor, RedMonk Analyst firm of the year #4: RedMonk Most relevant #5: RedMonk Most import firm #6: RedMonk

References

External links Official website

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with RedMonk

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what RedMonk claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to RedMonk before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about RedMonk ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of RedMonk

In research: RedMonk appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses RedMonk in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: RedMonk is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2002 establishments in Maine, Companies based in Portland, Maine, Market research companies of the United States, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for RedMonk outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study RedMonk in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what RedMonk means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain RedMonk out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is RedMonk in simple terms?

Why does RedMonk matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study RedMonk?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on RedMonk.