X-Git-Url: http://lambda.jimpryor.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=lambda.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn;h=04c762e1f62ec3c6640a2e1910ef521e4a89ae32;hp=345e6aef713208c8d50cdea23b85e6ad831f0449;hb=c6bf3922272d594150caca81f01bb4bc31261e0d;hpb=ce89df097ec6f487527091cfad44968c621ac6e7 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 345e6aef..04c762e1 100644 --- a/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn +++ b/how_to_get_the_programming_languages_running_on_your_computer.mdwn @@ -1 +1,321 @@ -Test +## Identifying your system ## + +We'll assume you're using either Mac OS X, or Windows, or Linux. + +If you're using **Mac OS X**, take note of what version of the Mac OS you're +running. (Under the Apple Menu, select "About this Mac".) + +* Leopard (10.5) +* Snow Leopard (10.6) +* Lion (10.7) +* Mountain Lion (10.8) +* Mavericks (10.9) +* Yosemite (10.10) + +If you're running **iOS**, you probably can't use this software on that machine. (A bit more below.) + +Furthermore, you'll be in one of two subgroups: + +* You'll have Apple's Xcode and the independent MacPorts system + installed. (Probably you don't. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you don't have these.) + + If you don't have these, but want to try this route, you can read about + the MacPorts system at . + This automates the building of Unix-type software on your Mac; it + makes it a lot easier to check for dependencies, use more-recent + versions of things, and so on. (Though as it happens, MacPorts only has an older version of + our chosen implementation of Scheme.) + + There are also other package management systems available for the Mac, notably Homebrew and Fink. I only know a little bit about them. + + Xcode is available at + . Some + versions of this have been available for free, though you do have to + register with Apple as an "Apple Developer", which involves accepting a + legal agreement with Apple. I have an older version of this installed. + If you download a recent version, email me and let me know how the + process works so I can tell others. There are instructions about how to + get Xcode in the MacPorts installation guide. + + +* Or you won't have those installed. (**Most Mac users will be in this group.**) + Then you'll need pre-packaged (and usually pretty GUI) installers for + everything. These are great when they're available and kept up-to-date; + however sometimes those conditions aren't met. + + + +If you're using **Windows**, you'll be in one of two subgroups: + +* You'll have the Cygwin system + installed. + This puts a Unix-like layer on top of your Windows system, + and makes it easier for you to use the same software everybody + else will be using, without its needing as much special-for-Windows + treatment. However, many of you won't have this installed. + +* You won't have Cygwin installed. You might in theory have + a different group of compilers installed (MinGW, or Microsoft Visual C++) but + we'll assume that the overwhelming majority of users in this group + don't have access to a compiler and need pre-packaged installers + for everything. + +If you're using **Linux**, you could be using any one of numerous packaging +systems. + +* We'll give examples using the packaging system shared by Debian and Ubuntu, + and we'll assume that those of you using different packaging systems will know + how to make the relevant substitutions. You may also want to take note of the + output of the "uname -srm" command. On my machine this tells me "Linux + 3.12.8-extrastuff x86\_64". That tells me I'm running the x86\_64 (as opposed to the + i686 or i386 or whatever) version of Linux, and that I'm running kernel + version 3.12.8. + +**For all of these groups**, a general item to take note of is what "processor architecture" your machine is running. Three of the possibilities are: + +* One of Intel's i386, i486, i586, i686 architectures. These are collectively known as "x86" or "IA-32" or sometimes just "32-bit". +* Intel or AMD's x86\_64 architecture. This is sometimes also called "x64" or "amd64" or "IA-64" or sometimes just "64-bit". +* ARM or some other architecture. These are generally lower-powered machines, like iPads. Some of the software we're proposing *might* in principle be capable of running on such machines, but installers don't seem to be available. We'll assume you have access to an x86 or x86\_64 machine. + +In the Linux example above, I could tell my machine is running x86 because the +result of the `uname` command said "i386" at the end. Another machine I have +says "x86\_64" at the end. On a Mac, you can also say `uname -m` in a Terminal +session, and it will say something like "i386". I think that Mac OS Xs from Lion +/ 10.7 forward have all been x86\_64-only. On Windows, I don't know how to +collect this information. But generally, machines running Windows XP will +probably be i386/32-bit (unless it's a version of Windows with "64-bit" or +"x64" in its title); machines running Windows Vista or Windows 7 or Windows 8 +could be running either x86/32-bit or x64/64-bit. +(Update: I found +[this Microsoft page](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/32-bit-and-64-bit-windows) +that may help.) + + +## PLEASE REPORT PROBLEMS (AND SOLUTIONS!) ## + +We haven't tested these instructions ourselves, and they're not explicit +step-by-step instructions in any case. If you encounter troubles, please email +to let us know so that we can amend the instructions to help others. If you +figure out how to fix the problem youself (and please do), please also write +with suggestions how we can change these instructions to make the process +easier and more straightforward for others. + + +## Getting Scheme ## + +**Scheme** is one of two or three major dialects of *Lisp*, which is a large family +of programming languages. The other dialects are called "Common Lisp" and "Clojure". +Scheme is the more clean and minimalist dialect, and is what's mostly used in +academic circles. +Scheme itself has umpteen different "implementations", which share most of +their fundamentals, but have slightly different extensions and interact with +the operating system differently. One major implementation is called Racket, +and that is what we recommend you use. (A few years back they were called PLT Scheme, but then +they changed their name to Racket.) +If you're already using or comfortable with +another Scheme implementation, though, there's no compelling reason to switch. + +If for some reason you have problems with Racket, other implementations you could +try are +[Chicken](http://www.call-cc.org), +[Gauche](http://practical-scheme.net/gauche), +or [Chibi](https://code.google.com/p/chibi-scheme). The later in that list you go, the more likely it +is that you'll have to compile the software yourself. (Thus Mac users will need Xcode.) + +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. + +Racket has several components. The two most visible components for us are a command-line interpreter named "racket" and a teaching-friendly editor/front-end named "DrRacket". You will probably be working primarily or wholly in the latter. + + +The current version of Racket is 6.1.1 (released November 2014). + +* In your web browser: + + There is a (slow, bare-bones) version of Scheme available for online use at . + +* **To install in Windows** + + Go to . Download and install the "Windows x64" version. (Or the "Windows x86" verson if you have an older, 32-bit system.) + +* **To install on Mac without MacPorts** + + Go to . Download and install the option for your system, most likely "Macintosh + OS X (Intel 64-bit)". + +* **To install on Mac with MacPorts** + + Unfortunately, MacPorts doesn't have Racket itself available. It only has an older version from when they still called + themselves PLT Scheme. And even then, it only has the command-line program "mzscheme" (what's nowadays called "racket"); it + doesn't have the GUI program that corresponds to what's now called "DrRacket". You can install mzscheme by opening a Terminal + window and typing: + + sudo port install mzscheme + + 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 + type: + + sudo apt-get install racket + + It's very likely that your packaging system has some version of + 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 . + Choose the option for your version of Linux (Ubuntu and Debian 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 ## + +**Caml** is one of two major dialects of *ML*, which is another large family of +programming languages. The other dialect is called "SML" and has several +implementations. But Caml has only one active implementation, OCaml or +Objective Caml, developed by the INRIA academic group in France. +Sometimes we may refer to Caml or ML +more generally; but you can assume that what we're talking about always works more +specifically in OCaml. + +It's helpful if in addition to OCaml you also install the Findlib add-on. +This will make it easier to install additional add-ons further down the road. +However, if you're not able to get that working, don't worry about it much. + +The current version of OCaml is 4.02.1 (released October 2014). + +Another instruction page focuses on [OPAM](http://ocaml.org/docs/install.html), also [this](https://opam.ocaml.org). + +* In your web browser: + + There is a (slow, bare-bones) version of OCaml available for online use at . + +* **To install in Windows** + + Go to . + You can probably download and install the + "Self installer for the port based on the MinGW toolchain" + even if you don't know what MinGW or Cygwin are. + Some features of this require Cygwin, but it looks like + it should mostly work even for users without Cygwin. + At the time of this writing, only an installer for the previous + version of OCaml (3.11.0, from January 2010) is available. + + To install the Findlib add-on, you must have the + Cygwin system installed. We assume few of you do, + so we're not going to try to explain how to do this. + If you want to figure it out yourself, go to the + Findlib website at . + +* **To install on Mac without MacPorts** + + To install OCaml 3.12 (just released this summer), go to + + and download and install the "Binary distribution for Mac OS X" + + To install the Findlib add-on, you'll need the Xcode development tools + to compile it yourself. Once you get that far, it's probably easiest + for you to install MacPorts and just install things using the MacPorts + instructions. (Use the MacPorts version of OCaml, instead of installing + the package from the caml.inria.fr website, as described above) + However, if you do have Xcode, and want to do without MacPorts, then + what you need to do is download Findlib from + . + Unpack the download, open a Terminal and go into the folder you just + unpacked, and type: + + ./configure + make package-macosx + + This will build an installer package which you should be able to + double-click and install. + +* **To install on Mac with MacPorts** + + You can install the previous version of OCaml (3.11.2, + from January 2010), together with the Findlib add-on, by opening a Terminal + and typing: + + 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** + + Use your packaging system, for example, open a Terminal and + type: + + sudo apt-get install ocaml ocaml-findlib + + That will install a version of OCaml and the Findlib add-on. + + If for some reason you can't get OCaml through your + packaging system, you can go to + . + Pre-packaged binary installers are available for several Linux systems. + + If you can't get findlib through your packaging system, you'll + need to download it from + . + and use gcc to compile it yourself. If you don't know how to + do that, you probably don't want to attempt this. + Here are the INSTALL notes: + . + + 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. + + +## Getting Haskell ## + +This last step is less crucial than the others, since we will be focusing +primarily on Scheme and OCaml. However we, and the readings you come across, +will sometimes mention Haskell, so it might be worth your installing this too, +so that you have it available to play around with. + +Haskell is used a lot in the academic contexts we'll be working through. At one point, Scheme +dominated these discussions but now Haskell seems to do that. + +Haskell's surface syntax differs from Caml, and there are various important things one can do in +each of Haskell and Caml that one can't (or can't as easily) do in the +other. But these languages also have *a lot* in common, and if you're +familiar with one of them, it's generally not hard to move between it and the +other. + +* In your web browser: + + There is a (slow, bare-bones) version of Haskell available for online use at . + +sudo apk-get install haskell-platform + + + + + +Getting started: + +