Hi Chris, Christopher Allan Webber writes:
> Christopher Allan Webber writes: > >> Hello! >> >> So I've been thinking a bit about what a friendly "intro" tutorial would >> look like that could fit with the direction the site is heading. I came >> up with some ideas I wanted to capture before I totally lost them. > > Well I started implementing this. > > Here's the code: > https://notabug.org/cwebber/guile-tutorial > > It's using the excellent Skribilo. (I had *no idea* just how excellent until > I started this... amazing stuff!) Indeed, that looks pretty neat! > So: > >> I think we can keep with the kids playing with robot toys idea and >> stretch that a bit. Here's a brief outline: >> >> - Intro >> - Getting up and running >> (picture of one of those robots with a wind-up-toy-key on its back?) >> + How to start guile from the command line, add readline support >> + Editor setup, simple >> >> Details how to write some scheme with any editor, maybe makes a >> free software editor recommendation of something simple that's not >> too hard to get going with Scheme. Would GEdit work? >> >> Shows how to write a file and then import it at the REPL, >> then reload it as you add things. >> >> Teaches the basic idea of writing code in a file + playing at the REPL. >> >> + Editor setup, advanced: Emacs + Geiser >> >> Explains that this is the advanced, but recommended version. >> It takes some time to get started with if you are not already an >> emacs user, but you may want to come back to it later. Explains >> how to set things up. > > I've gotten this far. The rest of the stuff below still needs to be > done. That's looking pretty good. Personally I'm not sure about the positioning of the bit about text editors — it feels like it is a little tangential to getting Guile up and running. It feels like perhaps it should be mentioned later (e.g. when you actually mention storing stuff in a .scm file? (also, it kind of acts as a mental barrier to just firing up Guile and having a go — which is, I think, the playful feeling you want to instil in your readership?) > I'm still interested in mixing this with sirgazil/Lusis's drawings if he > is. I think that would be great! > I haven't gotten into the fun part of the tutorial yet, but I'm kind of > optimistic. The remaining parts are below. What do people think, is > this worth spending the time on? And might we want to put it on the > Guile website officially at some point...? > >> - First steps >> >> Much like The Little Schemer uses food as variable names, I think >> it's a good idea to stick with abstract fun concepts. Here, I think >> it would be great to continue along with the "Guile is a playground, >> come play!" idea by using toys as variable names, and defining >> procedures that evoke nostalgia for older programmers and sound >> playful for younger ones. >> >> Some ideas: >> + could use building lists as putting toys in and out of a toy >> chest >> >> (define toy-chest '(robot teddy-bear doll-with-comb toy-soldier)) >> >> + could have a simple-bake-oven set of procedures that takes >> arguments like flavor and dessert-type: >> >> #> (define (simple-bake-oven flavor dessert-type) >> (format #f "Yum! You made a tasty ~a flavored ~a!" >> flavor dessert-type)) >> #> (simple-bake-oven "banana" "cake") >> $20 = "Yum! You made a tasty banana flavored cake!" >> >> and then we can increase the advanced features a bit: >> >> #> (define* (fancy-bake-oven flavor dessert-type >> #:optional topping) >> (if topping >> (format #f "Yum! You made a tasty ~a flavored ~a covered >> in ~a!" >> flavor dessert-type topping) >> (format #f "Yum! You made a tasty ~a flavored ~a!" >> flavor dessert-type))) >> #> (fancy-bake-oven "mint" "ice cream" "chocolate fudge") >> $21 = "Yum! You made a tasty mint flavored ice cream covered in >> chocolate fudge!" >> >> Yes... the fancy bake oven version is so fancy it can even bake >> ice cream! ;) >> >> + Introduce modules as extensions for our robots. >> >> I'm sure there are other things! But I think a tutorial in this style >> might be fun, and would fit the site well. And the desire for a good >> tutorial has been expressed many times. >> >> What do others think? I definitely still think this is a really cool way to go. I'd probably think that you'll want to walk a fine line between playfulness and over the top childishness — and that line will be different for different people I guess! 8-| But I think it's a cool initiative, that would have really helped me if it had been available on the Guile website when I first started learning Guile. As an aside, what's the best way to pass you "editorial" feedback (typos and such) — as git patches or as inline corrections? HTH, Alex
