From: Peter Christensen
Subject: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <d020f116-9973-4d24-b047-669a9507b661@x35g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>
http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/articles/announcing-intro-to-lisp-workshop/

The first big project by the Chicago Lisp User Group is a half-day
workshop to introduce Lisp and its goodness to other programmers. The
primary audience is the Chicago Linux User Group but it open to
everyone. This is the initial announcement and tentative schedule. The
most updated info will be on my Chicago Lisp page.

INTRO TO LISP WORKSHOP

WHO: Programmers interested in learning more about Lisp.

HOW MUCH: The low, low price of 3ish hours of attention span.

WHEN: Saturday, May 31st from 3pm-6pm.

WHERE: Institute of Design, 350 N. LaSalle St, 4th floor, Chicago.
Map.

WHAT: A hands-on introduction the the Common Lisp programming
language.

Tentative Schedule (presentations will be 30-60 min)

    * Setting up a Lisp Environment (John Quigley): A hands-on
walkthrough of how to setup a Lisp environment, Emacs, and SLIME.
There will be documentation beforehand about steps to take and which
packages to get.
    * Lisp Basics and Idioms (Peter Christensen): Lisp syntax,
contructs, basic code, idioms and practices.
    * Common Lisp condition system (need a volunteer)
    * Macros (Craig Luddington): How Lisp lets you write code that
writes code that writes code … and why you’d want to do that.
    * Demos of cool things in Lisp (need volunteers): showing off both
neat and practical things that Lisp can do.

We’re looking for volunteers to do the following:

    * Present on the CL condition system
    * Suggest and present on other aspects of CL not listed here that
would be suitable for an introductory session
    * Walk around and help troubleshoot during the first session about
setting up your environment.

If you’re interested in attending or helping, please email me and
include “Intro to Lisp Workshop” at the start of the message.

From: ·············@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <7da13325-5b2d-4ef2-973a-a5c5ed598d2d@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com>
I hope somebody records this. It'll guide Lisp n00bs everywhere.
From: Peter Christensen
Subject: Re: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <6b50ae82-324a-47f7-9725-c8c2ec3949c0@e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>
On May 2, 10:03 am, ·············@gmail.com wrote:
> I hope somebody records this. It'll guide Lisp n00bs everywhere.

I was going to record it with my video camera at least (no promises on
the picture or sound quality), as well as post the slide decks and
other resources.  Not sure if we'll have screen capture - I'll put it
on my todo list.

As far as turnout, there was a similar event held within the Chicago
Linux group last year and I've heard there were about 30 people there.
From: Ken Tilton
Subject: Re: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <481b3999$0$11599$607ed4bc@cv.net>
·············@gmail.com wrote:
> I hope somebody records this. It'll guide Lisp n00bs everywhere.

And other Lisp groups should do likewise. It will be interesting to see 
what turnout they get.

kt

-- 
http://smuglispweeny.blogspot.com/
http://www.theoryyalgebra.com/

"I've never read the rulebook. My job is to catch the ball."
   -- Catcher Josh Bard after making a great catch on a foul ball
and then sliding into the dugout, which by the rules allowed the
runners to advance one base costing his pitcher a possible shutout
because there was a runner on third base.

"My sig is longer than most of my articles."
   -- Kenny Tilton
From: Ken Tilton
Subject: Re: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <481b3bff$0$11628$607ed4bc@cv.net>
Peter Christensen wrote:
> http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/articles/announcing-intro-to-lisp-workshop/
> 
> The first big project by the Chicago Lisp User Group is a half-day
> workshop to introduce Lisp and its goodness to other programmers. The
> primary audience is the Chicago Linux User Group but it open to
> everyone. This is the initial announcement and tentative schedule. The
> most updated info will be on my Chicago Lisp page.
> 
> INTRO TO LISP WORKSHOP
> 
> WHO: Programmers interested in learning more about Lisp.
> 
> HOW MUCH: The low, low price of 3ish hours of attention span.
> 
> WHEN: Saturday, May 31st from 3pm-6pm.

Ah, perfect, straight to the bars afterwards. I was afraid it would be 
in the morning.

> 
> WHERE: Institute of Design, 350 N. LaSalle St, 4th floor, Chicago.
> Map.
> 
> WHAT: A hands-on introduction the the Common Lisp programming
> language.
> 
> Tentative Schedule (presentations will be 30-60 min)
> 
>     * Setting up a Lisp Environment (John Quigley): A hands-on
> walkthrough of how to setup a Lisp environment, Emacs, and SLIME.
> There will be documentation beforehand about steps to take and which
> packages to get.
>     * Lisp Basics and Idioms (Peter Christensen): Lisp syntax,
> contructs, basic code, idioms and practices.
>     * Common Lisp condition system (need a volunteer)
>     * Macros (Craig Luddington): How Lisp lets you write code that
> writes code that writes code � and why you�d want to do that.

Here's a good example fresh from the trenches:

(defmacro plogn-dbg (&body b)
   `(let ((plogntries 0) passed)
      (prolog
       ,@(loop for f in (butlast b)
             nconcing (list f `(lisp (if (> (incf plogntries) 10000)
                                       (break "too tries after passing 
only ~a" passed)
                                       (pushnew ',f passed :test 
'tree-equal)))))
       (lisp
        (return-from prolog ,(last1 b))))))


Answers implicitly the question, Which prolog clause always fails? by 
breaking after an unreasonable number of tries andshowing the ones who 
passed. Works by inserting a test for excessivity after every clause.

Note also the pun plogn, used for the very common case of wanting to 
return a value from the last "clause" which is actually a lisp form that 
will get embedded in the necessary prologgery (for the ACL version, 
anyway) to get that desired effect.

Fun note for compiler geniuses: why would the prolog form return a 
warning on an internal variable being unused if the it appears inside 
defmethod but not defun? Strange but true.


>     * Demos of cool things in Lisp (need volunteers): showing off both
> neat and practical things that Lisp can do.
> 
> We�re looking for volunteers to do the following:
> 
>     * Present on the CL condition system
>     * Suggest and present on other aspects of CL not listed here that
> would be suitable for an introductory session
>     * Walk around and help troubleshoot during the first session about
> setting up your environment.
> 
> If you�re interested in attending or helping, please email me and
> include �Intro to Lisp Workshop� at the start of the message.

Who is covering Cells? Or would that be indistinguishable from magic and 
scare the noobs too badly?

kenny

-- 
http://smuglispweeny.blogspot.com/
http://www.theoryyalgebra.com/
ECLM rant: 
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1331906677993764413&hl=en
ECLM talk: 
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9173722505157942928&q=&hl=en
From: Peter Christensen
Subject: Re: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <22584d18-4e28-4f58-a160-2063b8167931@27g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>
On May 2, 7:12 am, Peter Christensen <···················@gmail.com>
wrote:
> http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/articles/announcing-intro-to-lisp-wo...
>
> The first big project by the Chicago Lisp User Group is a half-day
> workshop to introduce Lisp and its goodness to other programmers. The
> primary audience is the Chicago Linux User Group but it open to
> everyone. This is the initial announcement and tentative schedule. The
> most updated info will be on my Chicago Lisp page.
>
> INTRO TO LISP WORKSHOP
>
> WHO: Programmers interested in learning more about Lisp.
>
> HOW MUCH: The low, low price of 3ish hours of attention span.
>
> WHEN: Saturday, May 31st from 3pm-6pm.
>
> WHERE: Institute of Design, 350 N. LaSalle St, 4th floor, Chicago.
> Map.
>
> WHAT: A hands-on introduction the the Common Lisp programming
> language.
>
> Tentative Schedule (presentations will be 30-60 min)
>
>     * Setting up a Lisp Environment (John Quigley): A hands-on
> walkthrough of how to setup a Lisp environment, Emacs, and SLIME.
> There will be documentation beforehand about steps to take and which
> packages to get.
>     * Lisp Basics and Idioms (Peter Christensen): Lisp syntax,
> contructs, basic code, idioms and practices.
>     * Common Lisp condition system (need a volunteer)
>     * Macros (Craig Luddington): How Lisp lets you write code that
> writes code that writes code … and why you’d want to do that.
>     * Demos of cool things in Lisp (need volunteers): showing off both
> neat and practical things that Lisp can do.
>
> We’re looking for volunteers to do the following:
>
>     * Present on the CL condition system
>     * Suggest and present on other aspects of CL not listed here that
> would be suitable for an introductory session
>     * Walk around and help troubleshoot during the first session about
> setting up your environment.
>
> If you’re interested in attending or helping, please email me and
> include “Intro to Lisp Workshop” at the start of the message.

A reminder to anyone in the Midwest:  The Intro to Lisp Workshop
hosted by the Chicago Lisp User Group (http://chicagolisp.org/) will
be held tomorrow in downtown Chicago.  So far people are coming all
the way from western Wisconsin and Omaha (plus locals).  It's free,
there will be food, and a book giveaway.  More information at:

http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/chicago-lisp/
http://www.chicagolisp.org/wiki/doku.php?id=lispworkshop

See you there!

-Peter
From: Michael Kohout
Subject: Re: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <0cfe914a-d19f-476a-869f-db5dd65a4296@c58g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>
On May 30, 3:03 pm, Peter Christensen <···················@gmail.com>
wrote:
> On May 2, 7:12 am, Peter Christensen <···················@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> >http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/articles/announcing-intro-to-lisp-wo...
>
> > The first big project by the Chicago Lisp User Group is a half-day
> > workshop to introduce Lisp and its goodness to other programmers. The
> > primary audience is the Chicago Linux User Group but it open to
> > everyone. This is the initial announcement and tentative schedule. The
> > most updated info will be on my Chicago Lisp page.
>
> > INTRO TO LISP WORKSHOP
>
> > WHO: Programmers interested in learning more about Lisp.
>
> > HOW MUCH: The low, low price of 3ish hours of attention span.
>
> > WHEN: Saturday, May 31st from 3pm-6pm.
>
> > WHERE: Institute of Design, 350 N. LaSalle St, 4th floor, Chicago.
> > Map.
>
> > WHAT: A hands-on introduction the the Common Lisp programming
> > language.
>
> > Tentative Schedule (presentations will be 30-60 min)
>
> >     * Setting up a Lisp Environment (John Quigley): A hands-on
> > walkthrough of how to setup a Lisp environment, Emacs, and SLIME.
> > There will be documentation beforehand about steps to take and which
> > packages to get.
> >     * Lisp Basics and Idioms (Peter Christensen): Lisp syntax,
> > contructs, basic code, idioms and practices.
> >     * Common Lisp condition system (need a volunteer)
> >     * Macros (Craig Luddington): How Lisp lets you write code that
> > writes code that writes code … and why you’d want to do that.
> >     * Demos of cool things in Lisp (need volunteers): showing off both
> > neat and practical things that Lisp can do.
>
> > We’re looking for volunteers to do the following:
>
> >     * Present on the CL condition system
> >     * Suggest and present on other aspects of CL not listed here that
> > would be suitable for an introductory session
> >     * Walk around and help troubleshoot during the first session about
> > setting up your environment.
>
> > If you’re interested in attending or helping, please email me and
> > include “Intro to Lisp Workshop” at the start of the message.
>
> A reminder to anyone in the Midwest:  The Intro to Lisp Workshop
> hosted by the Chicago Lisp User Group (http://chicagolisp.org/) will
> be held tomorrow in downtown Chicago.  So far people are coming all
> the way from western Wisconsin and Omaha (plus locals).  It's free,
> there will be food, and a book giveaway.  More information at:
>
> http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/chicago-lisp/http://www.chicagolisp.org/wiki/doku.php?id=lispworkshop
>
> See you there!
>
> -Peter

Will you be videotaping the presentations?
From: Peter Christensen
Subject: Re: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <48d81247-ae71-4fc7-95bc-75e42c6fca6b@27g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>
On May 30, 4:33 pm, Michael Kohout <········@gmail.com> wrote:

> Will you be videotaping the presentations?

Yes.  No promises on when the videos will be up though.

-Peter
From: Peter Christensen
Subject: Re: Intro to Lisp Workshop, Chicago, 5/31
Date: 
Message-ID: <62cd1776-7962-491f-8794-927101929cb7@m73g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>
On May 2, 7:12 am, Peter Christensen <···················@gmail.com>
wrote:
> http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/articles/announcing-intro-to-lisp-wo...
>
> The first big project by the Chicago Lisp User Group is a half-day
> workshop to introduce Lisp and its goodness to other programmers. The
> primary audience is the Chicago Linux User Group but it open to
> everyone. This is the initial announcement and tentative schedule. The
> most updated info will be on my Chicago Lisp page.
>
> INTRO TO LISP WORKSHOP
>
> WHO: Programmers interested in learning more about Lisp.
>
> HOW MUCH: The low, low price of 3ish hours of attention span.
>
> WHEN: Saturday, May 31st from 3pm-6pm.
>
> WHERE: Institute of Design, 350 N. LaSalle St, 4th floor, Chicago.
> Map.
>
> WHAT: A hands-on introduction the the Common Lisp programming
> language.
>
> Tentative Schedule (presentations will be 30-60 min)
>
>     * Setting up a Lisp Environment (John Quigley): A hands-on
> walkthrough of how to setup a Lisp environment, Emacs, and SLIME.
> There will be documentation beforehand about steps to take and which
> packages to get.
>     * Lisp Basics and Idioms (Peter Christensen): Lisp syntax,
> contructs, basic code, idioms and practices.
>     * Common Lisp condition system (need a volunteer)
>     * Macros (Craig Luddington): How Lisp lets you write code that
> writes code that writes code … and why you’d want to do that.
>     * Demos of cool things in Lisp (need volunteers): showing off both
> neat and practical things that Lisp can do.
>
> We’re looking for volunteers to do the following:
>
>     * Present on the CL condition system
>     * Suggest and present on other aspects of CL not listed here that
> would be suitable for an introductory session
>     * Walk around and help troubleshoot during the first session about
> setting up your environment.
>
> If you’re interested in attending or helping, please email me and
> include “Intro to Lisp Workshop” at the start of the message.

The Chicago Lisp User Group's Intro to Lisp Workshop was a huge
success!  Here's my initial recap:

http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/articles/recap-of-intro-to-lisp-workshop/

I've got lots more to write up about it, but here's what I have so
far:

Attendee States: We had 41 people total, including 6 people who drove
in from out of state!  See more info here
http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/articles/chicago-intro-to-lisp-workshop-attendee-stats/

HTML version of my presentation "Lisp Basics and Idioms":
http://www.pchristensen.com/blog/articles/lisp-basics-and-idioms-presentation-from-intro-to-lisp-workshop/

All of the presentations were videotaped but it's going to take me a
while to get those videos ready to publish.

I'll continue posting to this thread as more materials get finished.
Links will also be added to the recap page listed above.

-Peter