4 ms·

Unfortunately, the code in this book uses a modified version of scheme which is no longer maintained.

kkylin 7y ago
Looks like MIT Scheme (on which the ScmUtils system runs) still gets some regular maintainence releases, though I don't know how active development is these days: https://www.gnu.org/software/mit-scheme/ https://www.gnu.org/software/mit-scheme/ https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/mit-scheme/stable.pkg/ https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/mit-scheme/stable.pkg/ Installation instructions for the ScmUtils package: http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/index.html http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/index.html As far as I know, Gerry and Jack still teach the course every year (can someone currently at MIT verify?) and still use the system.
- bryanrasmussen 7y ago
  I had assumed it was being done in Python https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14167453 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14167453
  - thatcherc 7y ago
    Nope, that's just the 'intro to programming' class. The class for this book is "Classical Mechanics: A Computational Approach" (I think) and it's definitely still taught in Scheme.
    - jhbadger 7y ago
      While I'm glad to hear that, how does that work given that the students presumably won't have been taught Scheme from SCIP beforehand? Is it just a given that students taking the class learned Scheme on their own?
    - bryanrasmussen 7y ago
      Thanks, I had assumed the intro class changing would signal a comprehensive shift.
- mspecter 7y ago
  Yep! https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6.945/ https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6.945/ I'm in his group at MIT.
  - kkylin 7y ago
    Good to hear! Please say hi to everyone. I used to hang out in the group back when it was still at Tech^2.
privong 7y ago
There is a racket port; I do not know how complete it is, though a quick look at the open issues suggests not all the pieces are there yet: https://github.com/bennn/mechanics https://github.com/bennn/mechanics The most recent version of `scmutils` I see is from 2016: https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/linux-install.htm https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/linux-instal... and https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/scmutils-tarballs/ https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/scmutils-tar... Edit: There seems to be quite a few ports to various languages: https://github.com/search?q=scmutils https://github.com/search?q=scmutils No idea how many are fully featured/tested.
nikofeyn 7y ago
that isn’t true. you can go install it now on linux, mac os x, or windows subsytem for linux, and it runs just fine. and it still gets some updates.
lrc 7y ago
I maintain a port to Clojure https://github.com/littleredcomputer/sicmutils https://github.com/littleredcomputer/sicmutils I haven't done much with it recently but have plans in the back of my mind for when I have more free time.
- ja-85 7y ago
  Thanks, this is a nice port! I worked through SICM using sicmutils as a backup. The MIT Scheme version sometimes "locked up" on my solutions to exercises and sicmutils did not (the Foucault pendulum problem comes to mind). This video is an introduction to SICM and sicmutils: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PoajCqNKpg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PoajCqNKpg
  - lrc 7y ago
    I'm so glad it was helpful. We have some Jupyter notebooks, e.g. https://github.com/littleredcomputer/sicmutils/blob/master/jupyter/double-pendulum.ipynb https://github.com/littleredcomputer/sicmutils/blob/master/j... One on the Foucault pendulum sounds like it would make a nice addition. Perhaps it could be done in a way that wouldn't spoil the exercise.
    - ja-85 7y ago
      I agree, the Foucault example would make a good Juypter demonstration. Showing the pendulum in 3D with a 2D projection (like a Spirograph) of the motion on the ground would be especially nice, as in: https://demonstrations.wolfram.com/FoucaultsPendulum/ https://demonstrations.wolfram.com/FoucaultsPendulum/ This might be possible in a Jupyter notebook with WebGL.
- ngcc_hk 7y ago
  Your video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PoajCqNKpg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PoajCqNKpg ?

Looks like MIT Scheme (on which the ScmUtils system runs) still gets some regular maintainence releases, though I don't know how active development is these days: https://www.gnu.org/software/mit-scheme/ https://www.gnu.org/software/mit-scheme/ https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/mit-scheme/stable.pkg/ https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/mit-scheme/stable.pkg/ Installation instructions for the ScmUtils package: http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/index.html http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/index.html As far as I know, Gerry and Jack still teach the course every year (can someone currently at MIT verify?) and still use the system.

bryanrasmussen 7y ago
I had assumed it was being done in Python https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14167453 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14167453
- thatcherc 7y ago
  Nope, that's just the 'intro to programming' class. The class for this book is "Classical Mechanics: A Computational Approach" (I think) and it's definitely still taught in Scheme.
  - jhbadger 7y ago
    While I'm glad to hear that, how does that work given that the students presumably won't have been taught Scheme from SCIP beforehand? Is it just a given that students taking the class learned Scheme on their own?
  - bryanrasmussen 7y ago
    Thanks, I had assumed the intro class changing would signal a comprehensive shift.
mspecter 7y ago
Yep! https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6.945/ https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6.945/ I'm in his group at MIT.
- kkylin 7y ago
  Good to hear! Please say hi to everyone. I used to hang out in the group back when it was still at Tech^2.

privong 7y ago

There is a racket port; I do not know how complete it is, though a quick look at the open issues suggests not all the pieces are there yet: https://github.com/bennn/mechanics https://github.com/bennn/mechanics The most recent version of `scmutils` I see is from 2016: https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/linux-install.htm https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/linux-instal... and https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/scmutils-tarballs/ https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/gjs/6946/scmutils-tar... Edit: There seems to be quite a few ports to various languages: https://github.com/search?q=scmutils https://github.com/search?q=scmutils No idea how many are fully featured/tested.

nikofeyn 7y ago

that isn’t true. you can go install it now on linux, mac os x, or windows subsytem for linux, and it runs just fine. and it still gets some updates.

lrc 7y ago

I maintain a port to Clojure https://github.com/littleredcomputer/sicmutils https://github.com/littleredcomputer/sicmutils I haven't done much with it recently but have plans in the back of my mind for when I have more free time.

ja-85 7y ago
Thanks, this is a nice port! I worked through SICM using sicmutils as a backup. The MIT Scheme version sometimes "locked up" on my solutions to exercises and sicmutils did not (the Foucault pendulum problem comes to mind). This video is an introduction to SICM and sicmutils: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PoajCqNKpg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PoajCqNKpg
- lrc 7y ago
  I'm so glad it was helpful. We have some Jupyter notebooks, e.g. https://github.com/littleredcomputer/sicmutils/blob/master/jupyter/double-pendulum.ipynb https://github.com/littleredcomputer/sicmutils/blob/master/j... One on the Foucault pendulum sounds like it would make a nice addition. Perhaps it could be done in a way that wouldn't spoil the exercise.
  - ja-85 7y ago
    I agree, the Foucault example would make a good Juypter demonstration. Showing the pendulum in 3D with a 2D projection (like a Spirograph) of the motion on the ground would be especially nice, as in: https://demonstrations.wolfram.com/FoucaultsPendulum/ https://demonstrations.wolfram.com/FoucaultsPendulum/ This might be possible in a Jupyter notebook with WebGL.
ngcc_hk 7y ago
Your video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PoajCqNKpg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PoajCqNKpg ?