

GNU Guile 2.0.9 released - 0x1997
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guile-user/2013-04/msg00037.html

======
threedaymonk

        Note: 2.0.8 was a brown paper bag release that was never announced, but
        some mirrors may have picked it up.  Please do not use it.
    

I'm a native speaker of English, but I don't understand the idiom of "brown
paper bag release". A search shows that it's quite widely attested, however.

What does it mean (and what's its origin)?

~~~
rvasco
"A bug in a public software release that is so embarrassing that the author
notionally wears a brown paper bag over his head for a while so he won't be
recognized on the net. Entered popular usage after the early-1999 release of
the first Linux 2.2, which had one. The phrase was used in Linus Torvalds's
apology posting."

------
shared4you
Does anyone know which parts of R6RS have been implemented so far? The release
notes only says "a large subset".

~~~
osamas_mama
[http://www.gnu.org/software/guile/manual/html_node/R6RS-
Inco...](http://www.gnu.org/software/guile/manual/html_node/R6RS-
Incompatibilities.html)

racket is the goto if you need r6rs compat though

------
omaranto
For me the best feature of the 2.0.9 release is that the documentation builds
again! I tried compiling 2.0.7 and got some weird errors from texinfo. I
couldn't figure out how to fix them quickly so I just installed without
documentation. But 2.0.9 builds fine, including documentation, on my system.

------
caycep
a nicer way to run SICP examples than mit-scheme?

~~~
davexunit
Here's a handy article about Scheme implementations written by the Guile co-
maintainer. Look for the heading "The Scheme for SICP".

[http://wingolog.org/archives/2013/01/07/an-opinionated-
guide...](http://wingolog.org/archives/2013/01/07/an-opinionated-guide-to-
scheme-implementations)

tl;dr - he recommends the SICP mode for Racket.

------
13b9f227ecf0
Anybody have comments on Guile vs. V8 for embedding purposes? Performance? API
quality?

~~~
frozenport
One of my favorite simulators, Meep (<http://ab-
initio.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Meep>) uses Guile as a control interface. From
my experience using Guile presents an unnecessary obstacle to even the most
brightest programmers. I frequently see bash scripts writing HERE scheme files
because _for_ loops are too difficult in scheme.

~~~
outworlder
> I frequently see bash scripts writing HERE scheme files because for loops
> are too difficult in scheme.

Why? Loops in general are quite easy to do in Scheme, specially the "for-each"
variety.

"The most brightest programmers", if bothered by the lack of a C-like for
construct, would be able to fix that, for them and for others, in 5 minutes
with a macro.

Scheme is easy and incredibly powerful. Its only issue is that knowledge in
other languages does not necessarily translate directly to it. In other words,
you have to take some time to learn, which is not a good thing nowadays with
the instant gratification culture.

~~~
frozenport
Scheme certainly isn't hard, but given a choice between working on their codes
or using a dirty hack to get on with their lives. Everybody I know choose to
get on with their lives. A python interface would have been better.

