Pros and cons of MIT Scheme and DrScheme for study

Question

What are the pros and cons of using MIT Scheme versus using DrScheme, in the context of trying to go through SICP (presumably simultaneously to watching some / all the MIT 6.001 videos)?

Answer 1

DrRacket got me up and running in Scheme with little to no thought. I didn't really need to learn anything new in terms of the tools needed to work the language. Furthermore, you get access to tons of packages for the PLT/Racket environment. I installed Vi mode (http://planet.racket-lang.org/display.ss?package=vi.plt&owner=kazzmir) for DrRacket which made solving the SICP exercises a little less painless.

Here's a guide that spells out setting up DrRacket for SICP. It's really easy. http://www.neilvandyke.org/racket-sicp/

Answer 2

This answer was originally posted in the question body.

Please feel free to edit below:

MIT Scheme

Pros:

• Specifically built for SICP and MIT 6.001.

Cons:

• (none yet)

DrScheme

Pros:

• Wider-spread usage, more active community.

Cons:

• (none yet)

Answer 3

I switched from MIT Scheme to DrScheme specifically because I couldn't get a version of MIT that runs on 64-bit Windows. I run DrScheme with the Language "Module" selected to do the SICP exercises.