jrm-code-project/LISP-Machine

K-Machine back into the future

wpasieka opened this issue · 4 comments

wpasieka commented

Hello Mr Marshall,

I am wondering where to get and how much would it cost to get the working model of the K-Machine?

I do all my work in CMUCL, in a few areas as per attachment, the K-Machine would be a natural extension, which could lead for selling for some specialized servers, desktops etc.

It seems that the K-Machine is the best of all Lisp hardware product, it would be worth resurrecting it.

Lisp is just a beautiful language to work in from A to Z, no distraction needed with a Babel tower of languages.

Kind Regards,
Adrian

CMUCL- Proof-of-Gensym- 2021-11-06 13-16-54

jrm-code-project commented
wpasieka commented

Thank You for coming back.

I have written after reading this interesting article, and the K-Machine PDF-s on the github.
http://fare.tunes.org/tmp/emergent/kmachine.htm

And also because a discussion started on the Lispworks today about Intel vs M1 performance:

First opinion:
"The performance of the new M1 in this “maximum performance” design with a small fan is
outstandingly good. The M1 undisputedly outperforms the core performance of everything Intel has to
offer, and battles it with AMD’s new Zen3, winning some, losing some. And in the mobile space in
particular, there doesn’t seem to be an equivalent in either ST or MT performance – at least within
the same power budgets."

Second opinion (based on some Lisp programs testing)
"Speed of M1 vs ca. 2014 Intel i5, i7, i9 — definitely slower.

What’s really new with Apple’s M1 is the bus and cache structure of the SOC."

;;----------------

I have also read some information about the M1 architecture, which resembles some of the K-Machine ideas.
Of course by "resembling" one needs to take into account a 35 years span in technology.

Please kindly keep in mind our conversation.
If You somehow hear that someone still has the K-Machine I will buy it.
This would be good to see it working, even slowly, and to adjust it to modern solutions.

I have developed some Lisp frameworks, which could help to make the K-Machine more modern.
There is investor's interest in anything related to the chips, because of their shortage.

The Lisp's machines companies tried to become big a few times.
Maybe this time we will be successful, sometimes miracles happen.

Having a working K- machine would make things 1000 times easier than to build it from scratch.
If You are going to be interested in and If we get funding, we could co-operate on a commercial basis.

jrm-code-project commented
wpasieka commented

Superb. Thank You.

There is this European Chips Act coming in soon.
(I am originally from Poland, but I used to live in Dublin and Miami for years).

Because of the chips shortage the finance will go into all kind of projects.
If we only had this K-Machine up and running, I am sure we would get finance.

Having it working would be something very concrete to show, and to upgrade it to XXI century.
Whatever comes out it would be a very interesting journey, and with a bit of luck, even the business.

So the future of the K-Machines is in Your hands now. Kindly thank You for a quick response again.