@ScroogeMcPump (and anybody interested in learning CS design or Scheme),
Almost nobody uses Scheme outside academia; it's too simplified (most industry uses for such things use its larger parent, lisp). However, Scheme is a great tool for learning Computer Science; specifically design, but also coding practices, since it's so unlike any language you might already know (or any language you might learn in the future). The idea is that its uniqueness requires you to actually learn the fundamentals that you might have otherwise (or already) missed without the tendency of falling back to methods you already know. There are downsides, too; my alma mater changed its entry-level CS course to Scheme, and the students had a <i>miserable</i> time trying to understand what a <code>for</code> loop was when they moved to Java for the second course. While it was a struggle, I think it was probably helpful. Since Scheme is so totally useless, I think MIT's new(?) method of teaching python in their inro course is preferable (MIT used to use Scheme for that). The whole idea is to use a simplified version of an easy language to teach the basics, then move to a different language altogether for the more advanced concepts, thus ensuring that the students aren't trapped by a single language upon graduation. Languages die and get replaced, so you don't want to learn a language in a CS curriculum. You want to learn design and the flexibility to pick up whatever language-of-the-month the industry is using.
If you're interested in that method and maybe learning with it, I highly recommend the book <a href="http://www.htdp.org/">How to Design Programs</a>, which is freely available online at that link.
<b> </b>
Oops, that was a really long rant. ... and yes, my use of "huh" was indeed a jest of sorts. More importantly, I think it succeeded in its purpose; it's far easier to say "huh" than to say "question mark," and you likely figured it out pretty quickly.
See also <a href="http://www.writeteam.com/funny/1997/970423.htm">a fun poem using such terms</a>.
<p>@ScroogeMcPump (and anybody interested in learning CS design or Scheme),</p>
<p>Almost nobody uses Scheme outside academia; it's too simplified (most industry uses for such things use its larger parent, lisp). However, Scheme is a great tool for learning Computer Science; specifically design, but also coding practices, since it's so unlike any language you might already know (or any language you might learn in the future). The idea is that its uniqueness requires you to actually learn the fundamentals that you might have otherwise (or already) missed without the tendency of falling back to methods you already know. There are downsides, too; my alma mater changed its entry-level CS course to Scheme, and the students had a <i>miserable</i> time trying to understand what a <code>for</code> loop was when they moved to Java for the second course. While it was a struggle, I think it was probably helpful. Since Scheme is so totally useless, I think MIT's new(?) method of teaching python in their inro course is preferable (MIT used to use Scheme for that). The whole idea is to use a simplified version of an easy language to teach the basics, then move to a different language altogether for the more advanced concepts, thus ensuring that the students aren't trapped by a single language upon graduation. Languages die and get replaced, so you don't want to learn a language in a CS curriculum. You want to learn design and the flexibility to pick up whatever language-of-the-month the industry is using.</p>
<p>If you're interested in that method and maybe learning with it, I highly recommend the book <a href="http://www.htdp.org/">How to Design Programs</a>, which is freely available online at that link.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Oops, that was a really long rant. ... and yes, my use of "huh" was indeed a jest of sorts. More importantly, I think it succeeded in its purpose; it's far easier to say "huh" than to say "question mark," and you likely figured it out pretty quickly.</p>
<p>See also <a href="http://www.writeteam.com/funny/1997/970423.htm">a fun poem using such terms</a>.</p>
2008-11-07T15:54:53Z
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