Lisp was used (Symbolics), but the machine had specialized instructions dealing better with gc, and object dispatching (was it Flavors, Symbolics pre-CLOS OO sy

Lisp was used (Symbolics), but the machine had specialized instructions dealing better with gc, and object dispatching (was it Flavors, Symbolics pre-CLOS OO system). For example (have to google for the document), a method dispatch on then comparable cpu's was 1000 microseconds vs 3.5 ms for Symbolics machine, due to the specialized instruction set. Symbolics went so crazy, that it developed every HW piece being used - including monitors & printers :) That to be said I love Common Lisp :)