New member, longtime lurker here. As someone who knows almost nothing about programming, I've recently decided to rectify that by starting out with HtDP. I'm just curious why many people seem to recommend SICP over HtDP, not only for newbies, but in general. The impression I've gotten from various sources is that HtDP is a better starting point. (Of course, this is probably relative to the viewer.)

Any comments on why you've chosen SICP over HtDP would be appreciated and enlightening.