Using Land of Lisp (with Emacs) as the basis for a year one course

[Marcus Birkenkrahe]

I'm thinking about using "Land of Lisp" as the basis for a year one course. We'd be using Emacs and Emacs Lisp, I think, because that's what I use in all my computer and data science classes. Anyone got any experience with either using the book in class and/or using it in connection with Emacs? Cheers, Marcus

[Edward Katz]

Acknowledged that this response is terribly late.    But for anyone else in the same situation, here is what I did.

I taught such a course with great success but used Racket (which is an extension of Scheme).   Racket has a wonderful IDE, Dr. Racket, which is very easy to use and suited for beginning software students.  It's style is more WYSISYG, and definitely not Emacs.  (Another advantage for beginning students.)

The main text book I used was Realm of Racket: Learn to Program, One Game at a Time!  a very good entry-level Racket programming book co-authored by actual students.  (The publisher can supply game Racket source code which can be used both as pedagogical examples as well as the basis for student projects.)  This book was heavily influenced by Land of Lisp.  There are also many other Scheme language-based, entry level textbooks which can be used for supplemental references.

REFS:

Racket (Scheme) :    https://racket-lang.org/

Racket download:     https://download.racket-lang.org/   

(supports Windows x64,, Windows ARM 64, Linux x86_,64, Linux Arm64/AArch64. and  Mac OS )

Text book:   Realm of Racket: Learn to Program, One Game at a Time! [No Starch Press]:  https://www.amazon.com/Realm-Racket-Learn-Program-Game/dp/1593274912#