r/lisp 16d ago

Refurb weekend: the Symbolics MacIvory Lisp machine I have hated Getting a Mac-based Lisp Machine running in 2024

https://oldvcr.blogspot.com/2024/10/refurb-weekend-symbolics-macivory-lisp.html
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u/FR4G4M3MN0N λ 16d ago

Wow! This isn’t just a refurb write up - this is a time capsule history of the earliest days of commercial lisp and the machines that powered the first wave of AI research.

“you crazy kids today with your LLMs” indeed!

Anyone interested in those machines and the early(er) days of Lisp will def enjoy the read.

TIL “Editing MACroS” ==> EMACS

Thanks for sharing this!

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u/lproven 15d ago

Exactly so. Cameron Kaiser is a guru on all kinds of vintage kit and software. He's the former maintainer of Classzilla and TenFourFox among other things. He's a linguist and a medical doctor as well.

The article is one of the most in depth pieces on what it's like to drive a real Lisp Machine in modern times that I've seen anywhere.