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What are the pros and cons of using MIT Scheme versus using DrScheme, in the context of trying to go through SICP (presumably simultaneously to watching some / all the MIT 6.001 videos)?

Flux
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JDelage
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  • You might dig more here for information on the topic: http://groups.google.com/group/plt-scheme/search?group=plt-scheme&q=SICP&qt_g=Search+this+group – grettke Nov 17 '09 at 17:07
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    Note that PLT Scheme has support specifically for SICP students here: http://www.neilvandyke.org/sicp-plt/ – Eli Barzilay Nov 17 '09 at 19:13
  • It's now called Racket - the IDE is DrRacket http://www.racket-lang.org/ – Stephen Jul 05 '10 at 15:51

3 Answers3

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I switched from MIT Scheme to DrScheme specifically because I couldn't get a version of MIT that runs on 64-bit Windows. I run DrScheme with the Language "Module" selected to do the SICP exercises.

Bill the Lizard
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  • Thanks. Have you encountered any problem doing that? – JDelage Nov 23 '09 at 18:25
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    @JDelage: No, not yet. I'm only about halfway through the exercises in chapter 1 of SICP, but I've also run some example code from here on SO and from the solutions on Programming Praxis (http://programmingpraxis.com/) with the same settings with no problems. – Bill the Lizard Nov 23 '09 at 18:45
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    Bill - That programmingpraxis site seems awesome, thank you. – JDelage Mar 04 '10 at 14:29
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This answer was originally posted in the question body.

Please feel free to edit below:

MIT Scheme

Pros:

  • Specifically built for SICP and MIT 6.001.

Cons:

  • (none yet)

DrScheme

Pros:

  • Wider-spread usage, more active community.

Cons:

  • (none yet)
Community
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Pops
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DrRacket got me up and running in Scheme with little to no thought. I didn't really need to learn anything new in terms of the tools needed to work the language. Furthermore, you get access to tons of packages for the PLT/Racket environment. I installed Vi mode (http://planet.racket-lang.org/display.ss?package=vi.plt&owner=kazzmir) for DrRacket which made solving the SICP exercises a little less painless.

Here's a guide that spells out setting up DrRacket for SICP. It's really easy. http://www.neilvandyke.org/racket-sicp/

Christian Delahousse
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