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There's no reason to start with Python or Lisp, do whatever you want. Personally I found it easier to start with Lisp/Scheme since you aren't thrown into the wo
by hackermailman 8y ago
There's no reason to start with Python or Lisp, do whatever you want. Personally I found it easier to start with Lisp/Scheme since you aren't thrown into the world of 'everything is an object' and can build toy models yourself of data structures and objects in Lisp, and step through them to help with understanding. The Road to Common Lisp has some advice http://stevelosh.com/blog/2018/08/a-road-to-common-lisp/ http://stevelosh.com/blog/2018/08/a-road-to-common-lisp/ note the 'Lisp as a System' section: http://stevelosh.com/blog/2018/08/a-road-to-common-lisp/#lisp-as-a-system http://stevelosh.com/blog/2018/08/a-road-to-common-lisp/#lis... where Lisp really shines if you're hacking on cruise control for fun.
If you're interested two really good rigorous beginner's books, designed by educators with data driven results on the effectiveness of their curriculum, is PAPL https://papl.cs.brown.edu/2018/ https://papl.cs.brown.edu/2018/ and HtDP https://htdp.org/2018-01-06/Book/ https://htdp.org/2018-01-06/Book/ PAPL is multi semesters of computer science combined into one book (beginner programming, graph theory, introduction to types, ect) and you use 'Pyret' which is essentially typed Racket. When you're done you'll be able to reason about and understand the programs you will be creating, and both those books teach you how to design complete programs. You'll have direct knowledge transfer to any language, even functional languages considering the type annotations PAPL uses look similar to OCaml/SML syntax. One of the author's of the book(s) posts here as well https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=shriramkmurthi https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=shriramkmurthi
Here's Matthias Felleisen (co-author HtDP, Little Schemer books) giving a talk about first year HtDP based Northeastern curriculum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9REURTUJR_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9REURTUJR_I