I would like to try out OCaml. From what I have read, though, it is only happy running on UNIX. Without a UNIX box at the moment I decided to try out Sun’s VirtualBox with Ubuntu.
Setup, configuration, and installation took less than an hour. Directories can easily be shared between the host and the guest (Windows XP and Ubuntu in this case), which is convenient for me because I share my Bazaar checkout folder. The NAT network adapter is configured “out of the box”. Everything “just worked”; it was a really pleasant experience.
These days there really aren’t many obstacles to running, or even just trying out, Linux.
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Hm, I recall running it on Windows a few years ago… haven’t used it for anything non-trivial on Windows systems though.
Hi Grant,
I’m using ocaml 3.11.0 on a Windows 7 x64 without any problems. Maybe you should try installing it natively on windows?
Hans:
What I am using it for probably counts a trivial
Kanak:
Will do. Thanks.
I was amused at the reviews for the Practical OCaml book by Joshua Smith. I remember not especially liking or disliking the book, but the reviews on Amazon are the worst I’ve ever seen! So I don’t recommend the book, but I do recommend the reviews for a good chuckle.
Recommended reading:
Introduction to Objective Caml by Jason Hickey
http://www.cs.caltech.edu/courses/cs134/cs134b/book.pdf
I really want to buy Jason Hickey dinner. If you want to see what a nightmare he’s had with his book, and why it hasn’t been published by Cambridge University Press yet, see the whole sad thread starting here:
http://www.mail-archive.com/caml-list@yquem.inria.fr/msg02847.html
—–
Developing Applications With Objective Caml
by Emmanuel Chailloux, Pascal Manoury and Bruno Pagano
http://caml.inria.fr/pub/docs/oreilly-book/index.html
The original French edition:
http://www.pps.jussieu.fr/Livres/ora/DA-OCAML/
Looks like O’Reilly France has closed:
http://www.editions-oreilly.fr/
—–
OCaml for Scientists by Dr. Jon D. Harrop
http://www.ffconsultancy.com/products/ocaml_for_scientists/index.html
(pricey at GBP 85 — I just ordered a copy)
Geoff:
Thanks for the recommendations. I’m going to turn that into its own post.
Yeah, many people in my lab run windows and ocaml altogether.
I know no particular issue regarding that (beside the common pain of using windows)
Cheers.
Axio:
Thanks for letting me know.