A Look at the 1960 PDP‑1 Lisp Interpreter

The article provides an introduction to the Lisp system that ran on the historic PDP‑1 computer. It traces the development of Lisp in the early 1960s and its significance for computer science. Source code excerpts illustrate how the interpreter handled lists and symbols. The write‑up explains the constraints of the PDP‑1’s hardware and memory. It highlights the creative solutions used to implement recursion and garbage collection. Readers can explore the original program through provided links and archives. The piece situates the PDP‑1 Lisp within the broader evolution of programming languages. It invites enthusiasts to experiment with the code on modern emulators.