Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#1

Post by cal5k » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 5:33 PM UTC

I'm working through SICP. For a bit of background, I have no formal comp sci training and my current role is more business-development-oriented at a software company. I taught myself C from a reference manual when I was 14, and I built games in Java in high school, but my skills have fallen off and I'd like to significantly improve them (I have a business degree, although I put myself through 2 years of the wrong type of engineering before I realized I should have done software and instead just finished off the business part of my double major)

I'm also keen on not just getting a fluffy self-education - I want to REALLY understand the underlying principles of computer science in a way that just picking up a book on Python would probably not provide.

My current plan is to work through SICP (I picked up a hard copy from the MIT Press book store in Cambridge), and then proceed on to Introduction To Algorithms and other subjects.

Is anyone interested in being a learning partner? It would be great to either have someone who's going through the same process or who has done it before and wouldn't mind sharing their worldly wisdom with a newcomer :-)

EDIT: I put together a wiki for notes / solutions to exercises... http://sicpgroup.pbworks.com/

I'd love ideas on how to structure a group for this to help everyone stay accountable.

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#2

Post by mestudent » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 6:09 PM UTC

What kind of schedule are you expecting to keep?

And what are you planning for communication while working through?

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#3

Post by phektus » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 6:20 PM UTC

I'm interested. This can be a group (more than 2 people) activity, right? I'm thinking of a Khan academy approach, not necessarily videos, but exchange of resources and insights as we go into the book.

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#4

Post by cal5k » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 6:39 PM UTC

phektus wrote: post #3

I'm interested. This can be a group (more than 2 people) activity, right? I'm thinking of a Khan academy approach, not necessarily videos, but exchange of resources and insights as we go into the book.

Sure, I don't see why not.

I slapped together a quick wiki... what do you think of hosting discussions there?

http://sicpgroup.pbworks.com

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#5

Post by sayemm » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 6:41 PM UTC

Awesome, count me in too. I started on it a while ago and I'm just towards the end of the 1st chapter. But I took a break and I seriously need to get back to it. I'm also putting up all my solutions to Github.

Would be great to work together, good way to stay focused and disciplined.

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#6

Post by cal5k » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 6:43 PM UTC

mestudent wrote: post #2

What kind of schedule are you expecting to keep? And what are you planning for communication while working through?

My schedule is pretty busy, but my goal is to put in 45 mins - 1 hr a day working through it.

I've put up a wiki to host discussions... any thoughts you have on how to structure it would be great!

http://sicpgroup.pbworks.com

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#7

Post by Sargis » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 6:52 PM UTC

How long would it take to finish the book?

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#8

Post by cal5k » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 6:54 PM UTC

Sargis wrote: post #7

How long would it take to finish the book?

Anecdotally I've heard 8-12 months to finish it AND do all the exercises.

I'm hoping it can be done faster, but I'm committed to the idea that it could take a while given my work schedule.

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#9

Post by danparsonson » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 7:13 PM UTC

For anyone who's not aware, the full text is also available online here: http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/

Re: Working Through SICP, Need a Learning Partner

#10

Post by ryanklee » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 7:19 PM UTC

cal5k wrote: post #8

Sargis wrote: post #7

How long would it take to finish the book?

Anecdotally I've heard 8-12 months to finish it AND do all the exercises. I'm hoping it can be done faster, but I'm committed to the idea that it could take a while given my work schedule.

It was designed as a text for an intro to programming college course, so I'd say it is possible to complete it in four months if you devote an hour to it every night or so.