Why MIT uses Python instead of Scheme for its undergraduate CS program (2009)

Re:Why MIT uses Python instead of Scheme for its undergradua... by malloryerik on Saturday December 29, 2018 @01:01AM (#18782168)

Do you think that "How to Design Programs"[1] is the best intro book? Should it be followed by SICP[2]?

[1] https://htdp.org/ [2] https://mitpress.mit.edu/sites/default/files/sicp/full-text/...

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Re:Why MIT uses Python instead of Scheme for its undergradua... by mlazos on Saturday December 29, 2018 @01:06AM (#18782191)

I really like htdp, it was used for a bit in my intro class as well, but that curriculum also covered concepts that weren’t from the book. I also have been forever grateful for being taught scheme as my first language.

Previous discussion on HN about the second addition:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14932552

EDIT: I feel like it is not all-encompassing but it is a good start. It is definitely unique in the concepts that it covers.

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Re:Why MIT uses Python instead of Scheme for its undergradua... by ng12 on Saturday December 29, 2018 @01:32AM (#18782280)

I think both are valuable: HTDP is the better intro but SICP scales further. For me an ideal CS101 course would be 3/4ths HTDP with a "best of" SICP tacked on at the end.

[ Parent | on HN ]