#Assembly

I’m trying to learn Intel x86 assembly, and I’m discovering it’s actually hard. Like, proper hard. Let me explain…

This video explains the Von Neumann architecture and demonstrates, with real BBC BASIC and C code, how computers fundamentally cannot tell the difference between data and executable instructions.

Come back to a time when 640k was enough, and when a 486 DX2/66 was considered a fast computer. None of this modern multi-core rubbish or branch predicting exploitable nonsense here. Just you, me, DOS and a C compiler.

Dive into the exciting world of DIY hardware hacking. Join in as I explore joystick integration, keyboard inputs, and serial debugging using the versatile Agon Light platform. Delve into the technical intricacies of GPIO pins, assembly language programming, and C compiler usage for low-level development. Discover the power of computational thinking, boolean logic, and UART serial communication as we navigate through hardware interfacing challenges.

Just how did 8 bit computers like the ZX Spectrum or BBC Micro manage to cram an entire programming language into their tiny systems, and still have space for the user’s programs?

Writing more optimised assembly to improve the speed of the Conway’s Life algorithm

Programming the popular cellular automaton using Z80 Assembler

Converting a 1980s BASIC type-in game into Z80 Assembly.

A short comparison between low level Z80 assembler and high level C

The beating heart of any CPU is the fetch-decode-execute cycle. It is the same for our simulator