One thing you could try is using GCJ, the gnu java compiler, and see how it
manages memory. It may be possible to make it work with either GCL
or Clisp, though I suspect that GCL will be easier. Then you can
create a native interface to GCL. You just have to determine which
will be easier to manage, GCJ's threads and memory managment, or
GCL's or Clisp's memory management, and get them to coexist, and also figure
out how to interupt maxima computations if necessary.
Having looked at the internals of GCJ, GCL and Clisp, and having done
Java development for a few years, I think you could hack together a working
interface. Another way might be to compile java class files to work on
the Clisp virtual machine. There is also a GPL'd JIT compiler for java
class files, maybe you could integrate that into clisp.
All of these solutions involve doing much more work than the other
methods proposed so far.
Dan Stanger