djohnson@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Darin Johnson) (10/29/89)
I am starting to write a paper dealing with Lisp machine architectures. I would like to get information on what hardware features have proven to be useful (cost-effective) and which were not. Also, if a Lisp machine were to be designed from scratch using today's technology (assuming it isn't just a rehash of older Lisp machines), what would be done differently? Personal comments, facts, paper references, etc. welcome. Opinions from both Lisp machine lovers and haters would be useful. The Lisp Machine operating system and interface, while an important part of the machine, are of lesser significance. (also, does anyone know of a reference to the TI Lisp chip (Ivory?) or other recent Lisp architectures?) Darin Johnson djohnson@ucsd.edu
chewy@apple.com (Paul Snively) (10/31/89)
In article <7306@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu> djohnson@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Darin Johnson) writes: > I am starting to write a paper dealing with Lisp machine architectures. > I would like to get information on what hardware features have proven > to be useful (cost-effective) and which were not. I'd STRONGLY warn against succumbing to the popular notion that "cost-effective" is the only measure of whether a particular hardware architecture is "useful" or not. In article <7306@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu> djohnson@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Darin Johnson) writes: > The Lisp Machine operating system and interface, while an important > part of the machine, are of lesser significance. On this point I'll have to disagree with you 100%. Given a decent OS and human interface, the Lisp Machine hardware is almost insignificant. Consider that I can run Allegro CL for the Macintosh on a Macintosh IIci and receive performance comparable to that of, say, a Macintosh II equipped with a MacIvory II coprocessor card. In article <7306@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu> djohnson@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Darin Johnson) writes: > (also, does anyone know of a reference to the TI Lisp chip (Ivory?) > or other recent Lisp architectures?) Ivory isn't TI's chip; it's Symbolics'. We, of course, co-market the microExplorer II workstation (a Macintosh II with TI's Explorer coprocessor) with TI, so you should be able to get TI Lisp chip info either from our marketing folks or TI's. For Ivory details, contact Symbolics. __________________________________________________________________________ Just because I work for Apple Computer, Inc. doesn't mean that they believe what I believe or vice-versa. __________________________________________________________________________ C++ -- The language in which only friends can access your private members. __________________________________________________________________________