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Dybvig's TSPL 3rd vs 4th Edition?

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haziz

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May 4, 2012, 6:39:47 AM5/4/12
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I am trying to learn the basics of Scheme, while going through the "open-courseware" Stanford Programming Paradigms CS107 course (2008), which touches very lightly on Scheme at the end of the course.

I have a hard-copy of the 3rd edition of Dybvig's The Scheme Programming Language, and obviously can access the 4th edition online? I also have the Little Schemer book but find it a bit weird.

Does it matter which edition of the book I use? I am just starting my explorations of Scheme?

If I do use Dybvig's book, should I install the 7.4 or 8.4 version of Petite Chez Scheme on to a Debian Linux machine? I already have Guile installed and intend to work from within emacs, with which I am already somewhat comfortable.

Thanks.

Armando Blancas

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May 4, 2012, 11:24:43 AM5/4/12
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Just want to mention how valuable The Little Schemer has been to me; coding and testing the functions and then comparing my results. Now recursive techniques feel so natural and intuitive, and it help me a lot for grasping the possibilities of continuations. I don't know if Q&A is the best style but the material is great.

Aaron W. Hsu

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May 6, 2012, 12:15:43 AM5/6/12
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On Fri, 04 May 2012 03:39:47 -0700, haziz wrote:

> If I do use Dybvig's book, should I install the 7.4 or 8.4 version of
> Petite Chez Scheme on to a Debian Linux machine? I already have Guile
> installed and intend to work from within emacs, with which I am already
> somewhat comfortable.

TSPL3 documents the R5RS language, which is the basis of 7.4, and 8.4 is
R6RS, which is documented in TSPL4. Additionally, there are the Chez
Scheme User's Guides for these two versions which document the non-
standard extensions implemented in Chez, and serve as the completion of
the documentation for Chez Scheme when coupled with TSPL[3,4].

You will likely be fine with TSPL4 and version 8.4 if you are just going
through a class, as the REPL and basic language are all the same at an
introductory level.





--
Aaron W. Hsu | arc...@sacrideo.us | http://www.sacrideo.us
Programming is just another word for the lost art of thinking.
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