On Tue, Oct 09, 2007 at 06:28:00AM -0500, Harold Ancell wrote regarding Re: why did MIT drop scheme for python in intro to computing?: > > On Tue, 09 Oct 2007 03:28:53 -0000, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > >On Oct 8, 1:23 pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Brian Harvey) wrote: > > >> "Kjetil S. Matheussen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > >> >I don't think your speculations makes very much sence. > > >> Amen. > > >> And, in any case, there's no need to speculate. > >> MIT has published, on their web site, pages and > >> pages of rationale for the new curriculum. > > >> The most important point, imho, is that the > >> programming language was the /least/ important > >> aspect of the decision. The most important > >> aspect was the move to an application-based > >> (rather than topic-based) organization of the > >> curriculum. The details flow out of that big > >> shift of focus. > > >[ much snipped. ] > > >Does scheme have a gui library? > > >I really dont follow the logic. > > I really REALLY hope that not a single GUI is > constructed in 6.01-2; adding that to the load > would be stark raving mad (look and you'll agree). > > As Brian points out, languages are a means to the > end of teaching stuff, and I wouldn't be surprised > if not a single GUI is constructed in the entire > required/restricted elective curriculum. That's > just not to the point of an EECS education that > has to be squeezed into 4/5 years (most students > take the combined MEng path, where the MS degree > is terminal and leads straight to industry). > > If any library was a consideration in choosing > Python, it was the robots one for 6.01. Note also > that Hal helped design and teach 6.01, and fully > supports the new curriculum. > > As a total LISP/Scheme fanatic who finds parts of > Python's syntax to be too hard for his brain (not > the indentation, that's weird but useful and cool, > much like S-expressions in LISP), I looked hard at > the beginning of 6.01 where they're only teaching > SICP. > > For that purpose, Python is not "awful" (remember, > I believe LISP is the One True Way of Computing). > For that initial bit of SICP material, I do not > believe the students will be handicapped. > > Beyond that initial bit of material, I have no > informed opinions. > > - Harold > > -- > http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
I, for one, (coming from the Python side) would be thrilled to see a rigorous SICP-like book published using Python as its basis. But maybe with the new change of focus to application based, that won't be forthcoming. We'll see. Cheers, Cliff -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
