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Monthly Archives: September 2008

Comment Boxes

Originally posted here:

In DrScheme you can comment out code either using semicolons or by using a “box”.
The way that it works is that you:
1. Select the code you want to put in a comment box.
2. Go to the Scheme menu and select Comment Out With a Box.
You may find this particularly useful when you get [...]

The Beginning Student Language

This post illustrates a interesting point about the language:

Functions must take at least one argument

In the data-driven world, namely MATH, there is no notion of a definition defining anything other than a translation of something into something else. Interesting.

Discipline and Perseverence

Studying anything takes both discipline and perseverance. There is just no avoiding it.
These are also the same skills you need to practice when you do those things.
Work hard!

How you might implement the exercises

When you work on your exercises, you can leverage DrScheme to make it easier to find particular functions or bits of homework by using the definitions dropdown. I posted on it here:

Here is how I implement exercises. I say implement, because I am concerned here with a coding detail, *not* design recipes.
DrScheme has a nice [...]

This is an experiment

Originally posted here:

Most of us here are already programmers, or want to be. All of us are going to give up time to work through HTDP. It is a sacrifice. How do we know what will happen? Well, we don’t.
I think of this first group as being an experiment. We’re going to find out what [...]

Working with Google Groups

Overall it has been a pleasant experience working with Google Groups.
Rather than set up a server, install the wiki, file share, and listserve myself, and host it on the Internet; I can set up a group there instead. It is pretty convenient. Additionally, their interface is pleasant and search works pretty well (no surprises [...]

Lets start here: HTDP/2e Prolog

Per Matthias, the best place to start HTDP is by quickly going through the prolog to the 2nd edition and then diving into the book. I posted on this here.

Are we doing this to learn Scheme?

Q. Are we doing this to learn Scheme?
A. No. As a result of working through the book, we will learn Scheme, but the goal is to learn how write programs, not learn Scheme the programming language. For that you should read http://www.scheme.com/tspl3/.

HTDP is Free

HTDP is FREE. Basically the only thing you need to take advantage of it is a computer, interest, and discipline.
That is awesome!

Opportunities while studying HTDP

While studying HTDP, there are a few opportunities that occur during the process:
Practice Blogging:

I am assuming two things:
1. We are all going to learn things.
2. It is going to be fun.
That alone is worth blogging about.
If you haven’t got a blog, this is an excuse to start one.
The tagging facilities that most blog engines provide [...]