MASA: a multithreaded processor architecture for parallel symbolic computing

Multiple architecture for symbolic applications (MASA) is a first cut at a processor architecture intended as a building block for a multiprocessor that can execute parallel Lisp programs efficiently. MASA features a tagged architecture, multiple contexts, fast-trap handling, and a synchronization bit in every memory word. MASA´s principal novelty is its use of multiple contexts both to support multithreaded execution-interleaved execution from separate instruction streams-and to speed up procedure calls and trap handling in the same manner as register windows. A project is underway to evaluate MASA-like architectures for executing programs written in Multilisp