[plt-scheme] horay(?) to me!

> Ok, so many people here have been doing this a long time.
> I'm starting to understand scheme, loops, and quasiquoting.
> For no practical purpose at all I submit the following.

Hi Mike,


Small comments on the toy code:

> (let loop ((running #t))
>  (let ((r (random 20)))
> 	(set! running (< r 17))

The *running* variable here doesn't have to be part of the loop's 
iteration.  In fact, the code recomputes it anyway!  A slightly cleaner 
version of the above might look something like this:

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
(let loop ()
   (let* ([r (random 20)]
          [running (< r 17)])
     ...))
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

We use the let* form to tell people reading the code that *running* will 
be influenced by *r*.  We can avoid the use of set! altogether.


I'm also using boxy brackets to visually set off the let-values a little 
better, plus it appears to help catch off-by-one paren-balancing bugs in 
my own code.  It's the style advocated by the HTDP folks, and I'm liking 
it a lot.



> 	(printf "r=~a running=~a~%" (number->string r) (if running "true" "false"))
> 	(printf "thread=~a~%"
> 	        (thread
> 			  (eval
> 			  `(lambda () (sleep (random 4))
>                                     (printf "thread count=~a~%" ,r)))))
> 	;(sleep 2)


The eval/quasiquotation here is unnecessary, but you know that already. 
*wink*



> 	(if running
> 	  (begin
> 		;(sleep 2)
> 		(loop running)))))

A "one-armed" if like this can be written using the *when* form:

     (when running
       ; (sleep 2)
       (loop running))

This *when* form comes with an implicit *begin*, so it's a little cleaner 
in situations like this.  It also hints to the reader that what's inside 
is being done for side-effects rather than for its value.


Best of wishes!