
MIT Intro to CS Course: 20 Videos and Free Textbook (and Intro to Lisp) - vlad
http://swiss.csail.mit.edu/classes/6.001/abelson-sussman-lectures/
======
staunch
FYI: Most or all of these are available for easy streaming on Google Video
with the tag "sicp". Not all of you have vdsl to download a gigabyte file in 5
minutes with :-)

<http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=label%3Asicp>

------
imp
I've just started going through this course, and I found that in addition to
the video lectures and book there is a tutorial on the MIT OCW website:

OCW website: <http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-
Science/6-001Spring-2005/CourseHome/index.htm>

Tutorial: <http://icampus.mit.edu/xTutor/content/?more6001>

The tutorial provides sample problems and will grade them on-line to give you
instant feedback. They also give an estimate for when the assignments should
be due, which is helpful if you're attempting to go through the material as if
you were taking the class.

------
vlad
DISCLAIMER: THE VIDEOS WILL TAKE TIME AWAY FROM CREATING SOMETHING PEOPLE
WANT.

This is something I would have found very interesting when I was 17 years old,
but I decided I am not going to let a 20 hour long video Introduction to CS
course, no matter how free, keep me from programming my startups, not even if
it's from MIT. Plus it'll still be around for me to watch it in another 22
years.

I've tried leaving it running in the background so I could listen to the
audio, but it's just so distracting and the presentation is so interesting,
that I had to leave the room before I could decide to come back, close it, and
write this. :)

It was kind of like the video course "Physics for Presidents" from Berkley.
Although it's very interesting, and the professors are so very smart, I had to
shut it down because it's a time sink.

~~~
aston
Disclaimer! Eating will take time away from creating something people want!

I think if the value you gain from doing something outweighs the opportunity
cost paid for not working on your startup, you ought to go ahead and do that
thing. Whether these videos are worth your time is your opinion. But they are
excellent resources, and others might find them worthwhile.

~~~
jamesbritt
I think if the value you gain from doing something outweighs the opportunity
cost paid for not working on your startup, you ought to go ahead and do that
thing.

Quite true. Ive been going through the videos, an SICP (albeit slowly). Yes, I
sometimes feel that I could be writing production code instead of getting an
education. I believe, though, that having some additional insights on software
development will pay off quite well in the future.

Plus it's fun. :)

~~~
vlad
I respectfully disagree, because the video is something one can watch at any
time, but releasing a web service to the public is something that should be
done as soon as possible.

But you made me reconsider. I guess I can probably put it on my phone and
watch it at the gym when I'm doing some stretches or warming up!

I'm glad you enjoyed my link, and I hope I have some time to watch more of it
myself. Thanks for your reply!

~~~
euccastro
Gee, this reminds me of the time when I showed to a friend a stop motion clay
animation I had painstakingly made. The man played it in fast forward. I
didn't stay for his comments.

Check out the reviews at amazon.com: both PG and some Peter Norvig give you
permission to read it:

[http://www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Programs-
Engineering/dp/0262510871/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7486399-1082204?ie=UTF8&s;=books&qid;=1179281225&sr;=8-1](http://www.amazon.com/Structure-
Interpretation-Computer-Programs-
Engineering/dp/0262510871/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7486399-1082204?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179281225&sr=8-1)

Or yes, you can choose to postpone the important for the urgent. But for your
deity of choice's sake, don't multitask at this. Whenever you think you're
ready, get a paper copy and set aside some time for it every day. Kiss the
cover. Open the book. Read at least one subsection and do the exercises. Close
the book and kiss the cover again. Candles optional.

------
nickb
What a great course. BTW, MIT recently decided to retire 6.001 course. :( :(

~~~
bootload
There is always cs426, "Death Graphics" with _Funkhouser_ at Princeton ~
<http://www.cs.princeton.edu/courses/archive/fall00/cs426/>

------
omouse
Which Lisp?

~~~
brlewis
It uses MIT Scheme. There are important differences between CL and Scheme, but
IMO those are much less important than their similarities as compared to non-
Lisp languages.

~~~
papersmith
It doesn't have to be MIT scheme. I'd recommend Dr. Scheme for ease of
learning.

