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From: bpendlet@esunix.UUCP (Bob Pendleton)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Scheme - what is it?
Message-ID: <415@esunix.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 27-Jul-87 11:34:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: esunix.415
Posted: Mon Jul 27 11:34:45 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Jul-87 04:48:43 EDT
References: <1493@super.upenn.edu.upenn.edu>
Organization: Evans & Sutherland, Salt Lake City, Utah
Lines: 29

in article <1493@super.upenn.edu.upenn.edu>, shaffer@operations.dccs.upenn.edu (Earl Shaffer) says:
> 
> What is "Scheme"?  What does it look like (LISP, C, ?)?

Scheme is a lexically scoped dialect of LISP. A truely elegant language.
Like great poetry it is worth studying for its structure as well as its
content.

> Why would a school want to use it as intro language for the
> "intro" class?

My guess would be that the people setting up the class have read "Structure and
Interpretation of Computer Programs" by Abelson and Sussman. I hope I got that
right, I'm working from memory, my copy is at home. All the examples in the 
book are in Scheme. If they haven't read it, they should. It is a GREAT book.
But then I'm biased, the intro says nice things about someone I respect a
great deal.

To extend my guess to the tip of the limb :-), it sounds like someone wants to
teach some computer science in an intro class. Not a bad idea that!


		Bob Pendleton

-- 
Bob Pendleton @ Evans & Sutherland
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