Lisp's biggest problem is the simple fact that most other languages already ship with most nonwindows boxes. _Successful_Lisp_ is a good book (amongst others), but what do you type the code into?

Until today, I hadn't heard of SBCL. I've been fiddling in e-lisp, which is a tragedy of its own sorts. The only mention of SBCL in "google:lisp linux" is an ad. I don't think I'm the only one still afraid of a $5k entrance fee for lisp.