Since forcer and Riastradh seem to use and like Scheme48, I decided to give it (and Scsh) another try. I browsed through the FAQ, started wondering about continuations again, and decided to pick up The Scheme Programming Language by R. Kent Dybvig and read it up. (I own the 2nd edition, which is also available online. See Section 3.3. Continuations.)
The Scheme Programming Language by R. Kent Dybvig
Argh!
Maybe I should do the exercises.
I read about continuations in the Scheme Wiki, but decided that their explanation was not too clear, either. They start with non-local exists, which is an application of continuations, but non-local exists don’t make the connection to what a continuation actually is. Or at least what I believe it to be.
continuations in the Scheme Wiki
I then wrote Continuations, and will have to ask a Scheme head to look at it when I have the time.
#software #scheme
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Continuations always seemed to be a difficult part of the Scheme language that would also cause me to throw my hands up in the air and provide an excuse to give up on learning to use the language. However graceful and amazing continuations are (and they’re constantly trumpeted as such), they really aren’t a fundamental aspect of the language. It shouldn’t keep you from putting Scheme to work in your daily activities.
I didn’t know Dybvig’s book was online. Thanks for pointing that out.
– AaronHawley 2006-06-03 00:17 UTC
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I think the second edition is online because the third edition is in print or something like that.
– Alex Schroeder 2006-06-03 09:36 UTC
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Actually, it looked like the third edition to me.
– AaronHawley 2006-06-03 15:51 UTC
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Well, it says 2nd edition on http://www.scheme.com/tspl2d/ – and that’s the URL I found via Google. But I see now that the 3rd edition is available, too: http://www.scheme.com/tspl3.html.
http://www.scheme.com/tspl3.html
)
– Alex Schroeder 2006-06-03 16:19 UTC