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SICP: JavaScript Edition available for pre-order

mitpress.mit.edu

21–30 of 123 posts

Re: SICP: JavaScript Edition available for pre-order

#21
post #8

First they replace Scheme with Python for their CS classes, and now SICP in JavaScript! Isn't this another portent from Nostradamus about the coming of the end of the world?

No, it's proof that you are already in hell.

I think hell is coded in Java

Re: SICP: JavaScript Edition available for pre-order

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it's proof that you are already in hell.

I think hell is coded in Java

Indeed, and this is common knowledge. But in hell you program in javascript. Or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbolge .

Re: SICP: JavaScript Edition available for pre-order

#24
post #10

I saw this the other day on Amazon while picking up the SICP instructor's edition. For the life of me, I can't figure out why they chose JavaScript to do this. And the new authors are professors . Since the original SICP has a permissive license, I've actually thought about doing something similar, but with a more modern functional language.

Yeah, imagine the craziness of making materials like this accessible to users of the most widely used language.

It didn't become widely used because it were any good and being widely used generally doesn't imply quality.

I think the decision on what language to use in teaching material should be made based on quality and ease use, not popularity of the language.

Re: SICP: JavaScript Edition available for pre-order

#25
post #20

Insta buy. I love my SICP book. Need this for fun, perspective to teach juniors, and shelf art. Yes, I pre-ordered. For those complaining about it being in JS, probably didn’t read SICP as it wasn’t about LISP. This isn’t about JS.

> This isn’t about JS.

That's precisely why it shouldn't be in JS.

Edit: to clarify, javascript is full of random warts that you have to know about in order to use it effectively, that's why I think a language with less such warts would be more suitable for someone that wants to try out and use the ideas book introduces with caring too much about the language.

Re: SICP: JavaScript Edition available for pre-order

#28
post #22

Holy crap take a look at some of the JS examples in Chapter 4 - functions declaring functions declaring functions returning functions

I hate this style of coding. I don't see how it's any better than turning everything into data and code in encapsulated class objects and passing them around

Re: SICP: JavaScript Edition available for pre-order

#29

I never read this book during my education. Would you all say there’s something to be gleaned from reading this as an engineer with some years of experience already, or is it primarily an introduction to programming?

It is introduction to programming like no other. It takes it to a whole new level. Mind you, it is not about software engineering just about how to solve problems with algos. It used to be in LISP (Scheme if i am not mistaken) and now they have a JS version.

Re: SICP: JavaScript Edition available for pre-order

#30

I never read this book during my education. Would you all say there’s something to be gleaned from reading this as an engineer with some years of experience already, or is it primarily an introduction to programming?

If you are already a programmer and mostly want to check it out for ideas and concepts, you're better off with the Scheme version. The book itself is not 'primarily an introduction to programming', at least not in the conventional sense.
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