Welcome to the most up-to-date, no-BS guide to Common Lisp. Accurate? Maybe. Approachable? Definitely. Here to make sure you get things done and actually enjoy it? Absolutely.

Introduction

Learning Common Lisp sucks.
It sucks the first time.
It sucks the second time.
It sucks the third time.

But, as I write this, on my fourth attempt, nearly twenty years after I first tried, I can tell you: it's worth it. The magic is real.

Common Lisp IDE

Download LispWorks Personal

Then, change this setting so you have a readily-accessible command history: LispWorks Personal -> Settings -> Envionment -> Emulation -> Keys -> The Alt key acts as the Emacs Meta key Now you can press Option-P for Previous Command and Option-N for Next Command.

This allows you to type a command into the Listener window, press Enter/Return to execute it, then press Option-P to edit it again. For example, for some reason I tried to use writeln instead of write-line as if this was some kind of C# monstrosity.

A sidenote, if you're using Racket you can simply use Control + Up Arrow, which is great, unless you're on a Mac. In that case, consider changing the default MacOS Mission Control keyboard shortcut. Apple Menu -> System Settings -> Keyboard -> Keyboard Shortcuts -> Mission Control -> Mission Control -> ^↑. Easiest option is to uncheck the box:

Why Lisp?

The magic is real. It’s worth it. Let’s dive in.

DUMP
      
      Gentle Common Lisp
      
      

Use LispWorks.
The free version has 5 hours free usage; just save your image and exit the program when the 4 hour warning pops up. Then, restart and go another 4 hours if you want. 
Enable a warning before session is over?
If you can’t afford it, there are many tutorials out there for FOSS Common Lisp this, however, is not one of them.
I used Emacs for decades, but even I don’t use 
Here we are focus on Getting Shit Done. 
If you need money, learn another language. 
If you have money, buy LispWorks.
Otherwise, try Racket; modern, lispy, well-documented. 

Now, if you’re still reading, you have a tolerance for opinion. Good.

There’s going to be a fuckload of it. 

Also some swearing.

I’m not going to bore you with why common lisp; there are many good reasons (MOP, CLOS, functional, stability); if you’re reading this, someone has already sold you on Common Lisp and it’s my job to make sure you don’t hate it. 

I want you to feel empowered. Joyful. Excited. 

So download lispworks for Mac or Windows and let’s get started. If you have Linux, you know how to do it already. 

Most of all I want 'powerful joy'. 


keywords:
sbcl quickstart debugging


keywords on neocities
lisp
commonlisp
programming
programming languages


my promise to you is up to date, not correct or accurate or quality, just up to date 
lol no
it’s good.


search terms:
ways to rebel against parents

Advice: learn a programming language… but learn one which will never get you a job — allow me to introduce you to Common Lisp; powerfully joyful.

Quick Start Guide:
Use LispWorks (links)

Advanced Start Guide.

Use LispWorks. Seriously. Go, download it now (links).
-then my justification, above-

Then right into content, still above the fold. 
Hello world program with LispWorks.

todo work these in to headers or sidebars and shit

Should I add meta keywords or is that outdated? Like "help with common lisp" would be good. Or "getting started with common lisp" or "common lisp ide"

TODO
write about the beauty of language coupled with the power of computers
rather than decomposing problems you build layers of langugae 
(see https://youtu.be/PEwZL3H2oKg?t=4480)

Next Steps - DELETE THIS

Ready to begin? Move on to the QuickStart section!