| lccn = 85015161}} <!-- xiv, 285 p. ; 23 cm. Cambridge, Mass. --></ref> implementation of [[Lisp (programming language)|Lisp]] developed at [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] and intended to be the successor to [[Maclisp]].<ref name=STEELE>{{cite web | title=The evolution of Lisp| author=Guy L Steele Jr, Richard P Gabriel | url=httphttps://www.dreamsongs.com/NewFilesFiles/HOPL2-Uncut.pdf| accessdate=20062017-1008-1205}}</ref> NIL stands for "New Implementation of LISP", and was in part a response to [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DECs]] [[VAX]] computer. The project was headed by Jon L White,<ref>{{cite web | title=Brief History of the Lisp Language| author=Kent M Pitman | url=http://www.lisp.org/table/Lisp-History.html | accessdate=2006-10-12 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20061010150728/http://www.lisp.org/table/Lisp-History.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2006-10-10}}</ref> with a stated goal of maintaining compatibility with MacLisp whilst fixing many of the problems with the language.
