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Code from MIT's 1986 SICP video lectures

(github.com)
160 points felipap | 5 comments | 17 Oct 25 20:18 UTC | HN request time: 0.398s | source
1. xdavidliu ◴[20 Oct 25 22:52 UTC] No.45650440[source]▶
i watched the lecture series during the pandemic and commented on many of the youtube videos. in at least one instance, a library function is used on the board that is not compatible with the current function signature in mit scheme.
replies(3): >>45652654 #>>45655114 #>>45668060 #
2. ted_dunning ◴[21 Oct 25 05:09 UTC] No.45652654[source]▶
Oh no.

I suppose it is something to do with the fact that it has been, what, almost 40 years since the lectures?

The fact that most of the code would still work is a miracle. That wouldn't work for, say, Java (which didn't exist in 1986). Nor C++. Nor Javascript (also not there back then). Fortran and C might be able to pull it off (but barely).

Remember, we didn't have computers worth the name back then. Shoot, we didn't even have dirt yet, just rocks.

replies(1): >>45657095 #
3. shawn_w ◴[21 Oct 25 12:49 UTC] No.45655114[source]▶
Which function?
4. millerm ◴[21 Oct 25 15:35 UTC] No.45657095[source]▶
> That wouldn't work for, say, Java

The ~29 years deprecated java.util.Date* methods would like to have a word. ;-)

*https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/25/docs/api/java.base...

5. jgwil2 ◴[22 Oct 25 12:31 UTC] No.45668060[source]▶
Use the racket #sicp language: https://docs.racket-lang.org/sicp-manual/SICP_Language.html