Author: grant

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 to the structure template definitions in chapter 6. It makes them much nicer to write, read, and maintain.

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 feature in the top-left side of the window (roughly) called the “definitions dropdown”. Using this dropdown you can see all of the names you’ve got defined in the Interactions area.
So for example if you had entered (define x 10) in the Definitions are then you would see an entry in there that says “x”. You can leverage to make keeping track of your exercises easier. This is what I do, I keep all of my exercises in the same file as long as it makes sense to do so, and as part of that before every exercise I add something like this:
(define 2.3.2 true)
That tells me:
1. What my answer was for the exercise.
2. Whether or not it is finished.
That is how I keep all of my exercises in the same file and still have it make sense since each exercise creates any number of definitions!

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 works and what doesn’t, we’re going to figure out who might like something like this more than others, and most importantly we’re going to get a good sense of what one learns on this path.
What I can tell you is that HTDP has excellent reviews, an excellent track record in schools around the world, and most importantly excellent authors who are really dedicated to teaching. That last part
is particularly important. It was written by teachers, not programmers. They know how to teach; most of us don’t!
For me, that, combined both with my interest, and what I’ve seen so far in the book, is enough.
This isn’t a learn programming in 21 days scam, fluff book on the latest fad language, or the extended sermon of someone who makes his money by talking and not doing much else.
This is an experiment, for programmers, and, I think it is going to pay off pretty well.

Based on what I’ve seen so far, we are all learning a lot about: programming, communication, and culture. It is true, it is an experiment; the notion of good and bad are less important here, everything we are learning, painful or pleasant, is very valuable.

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 on that one!).
One decision that I made is that anyone can join the group, there are no restrictions. Additionally, there is no moderation on posts. I hope to encourage a certain atmosphere and culture. Thus far it has worked well.