Introduction

Abstract

The full 13-volume set of documentation that comes with a Symbolics Lisp Machine is understandably intimidating to the novice. “Where do I start?” is an oft-heard question, and one without a good answer. The thirteen volumes provide an excellent reference medium, but are largely lacking in tutorial material suitable for a beginner. This book is intended to fill that gap. No claim is made for completeness of coverage — the thirteen volumes fulfill that need. My goal is rather to present a readily grasped introduction to several representative areas of interest, including enough information to show how easy it is to build useful programs on the Lisp Machine. At the end of this course, the student should have a clear enough picture of what facilities exist on the machine to make effective use of the complete documentation, instead of being overwhelmed by it.