Re: [tlug] recomendations for a functional language

[Curt Sampson <cjs@example.com>]

On 2009-11-05 13:33 +0100 (Thu), Attila Kinali wrote:

> On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:17:02 +0900
> "Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com> wrote:
> 
> >  > > What kind of subtilities?
> > 
> > If you Google for "Lisp-1 Pitman Gabriel" you'll get a somewhat
> > intelligible paper that explains all the ramifications of the
> > difference for programming style.
> 
> I've read it, but didnt get half of the arguments ^^;

Well, keep on with it. I discovered this paper only recently, which is
probably why I found it extremely illuminating rather than mysterious. :-)

I would really put it up with Dijkstra's notes in terms of a great
contribution to the canon of computer science.

> Well, i'll read it again after i've learned some functional language.

>From this and other comments, actually, I'd suggest starting with _The
Little Schemer_. It's fun, accessible, and gets to the core of some of
this stuff. (Dr. Scheme will help you if you want a computer to check
what you're donig.)

(_The Little MLer_ is another option if you're into the type system
thing; it's basically the same book, but written in the type system
instead of the programming language.)

cjs
-- 
Curt Sampson       <cjs@example.com>        +81 90 7737 2974
           Functional programming in all senses of the word:
                   http://www.starling-software.com