Lisp, the machine language. Was Re: Hallelujah!

From: Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
Date: Sun Apr 4 18:25:22 1999

> P-code is not Pascal. It's a platform that all Pascal P-compilers grind
> code to. Speed wise it was slow as the Pcode was interpreted on all but
> the WD Pascal microengine.

It's interpreted on that too. The distinction between implementing a
P-Code interpreter as vertical microcode or as machine code on a typical
microprocessor is fairly meaningless. The Western Digital MCP 1600 family
as used in the LSI-11, WD Pascal Microengine, and the Alpha Micro AM100
is basically an 8-bit microprocessor optimized for running ROM-based
instruction set interpreters.

According to the MCP 1600 product announcement on page 83 of the December
1975 issue of IEEE Computer, "Two volumes of software documentation, a
users manual and a programming manual, are available for $10." Does anyone
have copies of these?
Received on Sun Apr 04 1999 - 18:25:22 BST