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diff --git a/posts/2013-08-11-the-little-schemer.skr b/posts/2013-08-11-the-little-schemer.skr deleted file mode 100644 index d4e4211..0000000 --- a/posts/2013-08-11-the-little-schemer.skr +++ /dev/null @@ -1,58 +0,0 @@ -(post - :title "The Little Schemer" - :date (make-date* 2013 08 11) - :tags '("scheme" "books" "wsu") - :summary "I bought “The Little Schemer”" - - (p [Yesterday, I took a trip to the MIT Press Bookstore and picked up -a copy of -,(anchor [The Little Schemer] "http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/little-schemer"). -I’ve only spent a few hours reading and coding along with it, but I’ve -had a lot of fun. The following is a mini-review based on my -experience thus far.]) - - (p [“The Little Schemer” teaches you to think recursively using an -interesting and comedic writing style and the Scheme programming -language. While Scheme is the language of choice, the real goal is to -teach you problem solving rather than the details of a specific -language. The book starts off simple, explaining what atoms, lists, -and s-expressions are. Rather than providing the definition and then -showing examples, it first gives examples in the form of a question -and answer.]) - - (p [Example:]) - - (blockquote - (p [Is it true that this an atom?]) - (p (strong [atom])) - (p [Yes, because ,(strong [atom]) is a string of characters -beginning with a letter.])) - - (p [From the examples given, a definition is created. In later -examples, a Scheme procedure is written that produces the correct -answers for all of the questions stated before it. It’s fun to build -the procedure, verify that it works for all cases, and compare your -implementation with the book’s.]) - - (p [“The Little Schemer” defines ten commandments that are essential -to correctly solving the problems in the book. Some commandments are -first given in an incomplete form, and expanded later when a greater -level of understanding has been achieved. The problems that you solve -reinforce the commandments. You might notice that you start writing -procedures without thinking much about it, much like the muscle memory -earned from using Emacs a lot. Gerald J. Sussman was right when he -said that this book “can perform the same service that Hanon’s finger -exercises or Czerny’s piano studies perform for the student of the -piano.” I have no idea who Hanon and Czerny are, but I get it. For -the drummers out there, you could liken this book to -,(anchor [Stick Control] - "http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Control-For-Snare-Drummer/dp/1892764040").]) - - (p [The writing style is very informal, comedic, and food themed. -Page 13 has a space reserved for jelly stains, and page 52 tells you -to “go cons a piece of cake onto your mouth.” I have laughed a number -of times while reading. Oh, and let’s not forget about the cute -elephant drawings. This is definitely not your average boring, dry -computer science book. If you are interested in a unique and -enjoyable learning experience, then I highly recommend reading “The -Little Schemer”.])) |