This paper details the reconstruction and execution of the Logic Theorist (LT), considered the first artificial intelligence program, originally created in 1955-1956. The authors built a new IPL-V interpreter in Common Lisp and faithfully reanimated LT from code transcribed from a 1963 RAND technical report. The reanimated LT successfully proved 16 of 23 theorems from Principia Mathematica, consistent with the original system's behavior. This work demonstrates "executable archaeology" as a method for understanding early AI systems, highlighting the challenges and insights gained from reconstructing and running historical code.
This article details the rediscovery of the source code for AM and EURISKO, two groundbreaking AI programs created by Douglas Lenat in the 1970s and early 80s. AM autonomously rediscovered mathematical concepts, while EURISKO excelled in VLSI design and even defeated human players in the Traveller RPG. Lenat had previously stated he no longer possessed the code, but it was found archived on SAILDART, the original Stanford AI Laboratory backup data, and in printouts at the Computer History Museum. The code was password protected until Lenat's passing, and has now been made available on Github.
This project is an attempt to recreate MACLISP in 1980.
It is based on a small C Lisp interpreter and aims to provide a
MACLISP-like experience.
Installation
Compile and install using:
sudo make install
This will create an executable named lisp in /usr/local/bin. Usage
Start the interpreter by running:
maclisp
Exit the interpreter by typing:
(quit)
Notes
This is not a full MACLISP implementation, but a simplified
version that captures the feel of the original.
Dynamic scoping is used.
Core functions like QUOTE, ATOM, EQ, CONS, CAR, CDR, and COND are
implemented.
It is based on a small C Lisp interpreter and aims to provide a
MACLISP-like experience.
Installation
Compile and install using:
sudo make install
This will create an executable named lisp in /usr/local/bin. Usage
Start the interpreter by running:
maclisp
Exit the interpreter by typing:
(quit)
Notes
This is not a full MACLISP implementation, but a simplified
version that captures the feel of the original.
Dynamic scoping is used.
Core functions like QUOTE, ATOM, EQ, CONS, CAR, CDR, and COND are
implemented.
>I intended to write a Lisp book, but I ended up getting hooked on creating a MACLISP-compatible system. Flipping through an old copy of Winston’s Lisp book brought back a lot of nostalgia.This book was originally written for MACLISP back in 1977.
This report details the progress of the Medley Interlisp Project in 2025, including work on the core system, community outreach, and future plans for preserving and reviving the historical Interlisp environment.
A twisty puzzle game based on the Hungarian Rings concept, implemented in Interlisp for the Medley Interlisp system. Features a 3rd ring that intersects the other two, challenging players to match the solved picture by rotating rings.
- Raph Levien, who is an expert in Rust and rendering on GPUs, who founded Advogato, and who designed Inconsolata, a great monospace font. His talk's title is *I Want a Good Parallel Language*.
- Jeff Shrager will give a talk on reviving early AI programs like ELIZA and IPL-V. His talk's title is *RetroAI: Reanimating the Earliest AIs in the Lost Languages that Predated Lisp*.
- Jeff Shrager will give a talk on reviving early AI programs like ELIZA and IPL-V. His talk's title is *RetroAI: Reanimating the Earliest AIs in the Lost Languages that Predated Lisp*.
A historical document detailing the origins and development of the EMACS editor, tracing its roots from early TECO-based systems like TMACS and TECMAC through its evolution on Multics and ITS. Includes email exchanges and notes from key figures like RMS, GLS, and EAK.
An article detailing the history of LISP machines and the SCHEME-78 microprocessor, designed to closely match the LISP language, developed by Guy L. Steele and Gerald Jay Sussman. It discusses the motivations behind creating dedicated LISP hardware, its eventual decline, and its relevance to modern AI hardware.
