INSTALLING THE SQUIRREL WORLD

You need PLT Scheme <http://www.plt-scheme.org/> to run this world.  I used
version 4.1.4.  Other versions may work too.  What follows are instructions
for using the program under Linux.  Using it with Windows or a Mac is similar.

Confirm that the graphical version of Scheme "mred" is installed properly:

  Linux%> mred -e '(+ 3 4)'
  7

If this works, then try starting the squirrel world (called "server.scm") by
typing this at the command-line:

  Linux%> mred -tm server.scm

This should start the simulation window.  You should see a default 30x50 grid,
with squirrel icons located at each of the four corners and a smattering of
acorns.  Type a "q" in this window to close the window and stop the program.

Now you are ready to try some squirrel agents.  Start the server again and
open another terminal window on the same machine. In this window, connect to
the server using telnet at port 8123:

  Linux%> telnet localhost 8123
  Trying 127.0.0.1...
  Connected to localhost.
  Escape character is '^]'.
  Wally

If this works, type the command "forward" in the telnet session. It should
respond with "ok".

  forward
  ok

Look at the server window. One of the squirrels should have moved 1 unit
forward. Type a "q" in the server window to abort it and the telnet session.

Finally, you are ready to try a very simple automated agent provided called
"wall-follower".  Restart the server, and in the other terminal window, start
this squirrel agent as follows:

  Linux%> mzscheme -tm wall-follower.scm
  Made network connection
  Start wall following

In the server window, you should see one of the squirrels slowly inching
itself forward until it reaches a wall.  At that point, it should run back
home, and start inching towards a second wall to its right.  When it finds it,
it should start running back and forth between the two walls.  This is all it
does.  You can get the second, third, and fourth squirrel to do the same thing
by opening more terminal windows and starting them like the first one.
Eventually all squirrels will run out of energy, turn grey, and stop moving,
but you can abort the session before then by typing "q" in the server window.

That's it. You're up and running.  Good luck!
