edits

[lambda.git] / how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn

diff --git a/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn b/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn
index 546cf2c..0cb4f78 100644 (file)
--- a/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn
+++ b/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ easier and more straightforward for others.
 ## Getting Scheme ##
 
 **Scheme** is one of two major dialects of *Lisp*, which is a large family of
-programming languages. The other dialect is called "CommonLisp." Scheme is the
+programming languages. The other dialect is called "Common Lisp." Scheme is the
 more clean and minimalistic dialect, and is what's mostly used in academic
 circles.
 
@@ -82,11 +82,17 @@ another Scheme implementation, though, there's no compelling reason to switch.)
 
 Since the name change is so recent, you're likely to run across both sets of names.
 
-PLT Scheme had three salient components: the command-line version "mzscheme", a
-GUI extension "MrEd", and a teaching-friendly editor/front-end "DrScheme". In
-Racket these have been renamed "racket", "gracket", and "DrRacket",
+PLT/Racket stands to Scheme in something like the relation Firefox stands to HTML. It's one program among others for working with the language; and many of those programs (or web browsers) permit different extensions, have small variations, and so on.
+
+PLT Scheme had several components. The two most visible components for us
+were the command-line interpreter "mzscheme" and a teaching-friendly editor/front-end "DrScheme". In
+Racket these have been renamed "racket" and "DrRacket",
 respectively.
 
+*      In your web browser:
+
+       There is a (slow, bare-bones) version of Scheme available for online use at <http://tryscheme.sourceforge.net/>.
+
 
 *      **To install in Windows**
 
@@ -108,6 +114,14 @@ respectively.
        If you want the GUI components, I think you'll need to use the
        "Mac/without MacPorts" installation options above.
 
+       I recommend also typing:
+
+               sudo port install rlwrap
+
+       then if you ever use the command-line program `mzscheme` (or `racket`), you should start it by typing `rlwrap mzscheme`. This gives
+       you a nice history of the commands you've already typed, which you can scroll up and down in with your
+       keyboard arrows.
+
 *      **To install on Linux**
 
        Use your packaging system, for example, open a Terminal and
@@ -116,10 +130,18 @@ respectively.
                 sudo apt-get install plt-scheme
 
        It's very likely that your packaging system has some version of
-       PLT Scheme available, so look for it. However, if you can't find it you
+       PLT Scheme (or Racket) available, so look for it. However, if you can't find it you
        can also install a pre-packaged binary from the Racket website at <http://racket-lang.org/download/>.
        Choose the option for your version of Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, and two
-       varieties of Fedora are available)
+       varieties of Fedora are available).
+
+       As above, I recommend you also type:
+
+               sudo apt-get rlwrap
+
+       then if you ever use the command-line program `mzscheme` (or `racket`), you should start it by typing `rlwrap mzscheme`. This gives
+       you a nice history of the commands you've already typed, which you can scroll up and down in with your
+       keyboard arrows.
 
 
 ## Getting OCaml ##
@@ -182,6 +204,11 @@ However, if you're not able to get that working, don't worry about it much.
 
                sudo port install ocaml caml-findlib
 
+       As with Scheme, it's helpful to also have rlwrap installed, and to start OCaml as `rlwrap ocaml`. This gives
+       you a nice history of the commands you've already typed, which you can scroll up and down in with your
+       keyboard arrows.
+       
+
 *      [More details about installing OCaml on Macs, if needed](http://cocan.org/getting_started_with_ocaml_on_mac_os_x)
 
 *      **To install on Linux**
@@ -207,3 +234,7 @@ However, if you're not able to get that working, don't worry about it much.
        Here are the INSTALL notes:
        <https://godirepo.camlcity.org/svn/lib-findlib/trunk/INSTALL>.
 
+       As with Scheme, it's helpful to also have rlwrap installed, and to start OCaml as `rlwrap ocaml`. This gives
+       you a nice history of the commands you've already typed, which you can scroll up and down in with your
+       keyboard arrows.
+