Best system to learn machine language

[Serguei2]

Hi

 

Which system can be learned easier on machine language?

 

Somebody told me to learn c64 first because it is easier than 2600

because it's limit.

[DanBoris]

The machine language itself is the same on both systems (6502), but it would be easier to get the C64 to do something meaningful, like displaying graphics, then it would be on the 2600. Learning to program the 2600 graphics hardware can be very tricky.

 

Dan

[TMR]

Was about to say C64 or Atari XL/XE m'self (just answered his other post over on Lemon64's forum =-) - personally, i feel that the C64 is marginally easier to work with for a beginner, since it has eight relatively easy to use hardware sprites.

[SmileyDude]

I know this is the classic gaming programming forum, but I've found that the GameBoy Advance is a good system to learn assembly on as well. I guess it all depends on what you want to learn -- if the goal is 6502 assembly, stick with something like the XL/XE or C-64. If the goal is to learn any assembly language, I would recommend the GBA or if you are using a PC anyway, x86 assembly.

 

The reason, btw, that I recommend the GBA is that it's CPU (the ARM) was heavily influenced by the 6502. The designers at Acorn designed the original ARM chips to replace the 6502s that they were using in their earlier machines. Quite frankly, I think that the 6502 and the ARM both have an elegance in design that isn't matched in any other CPU that I've looked at -- and I've looked at quite a few IMO, you can't really go wrong with either of them.

[Bruce Tomlin]

If you just want to program on something, the GBA is probably the best choice. In addition to flash cartridges, with the right cable and software (which I presume exists), you can download small and medium sized programs to RAM and run them from there. Its ARM CPU also is supposed to have built-in debug support, so with the right monitor program you can set breakpoints, single step, etc.

[Serguei2]

Thanks everybody

 

I begun to learn c64 machine language.