The book Introduzione alla programmazione Assembly 8 bit – Volume I: MCS 65XX is a fundamental guide for those who want to learn assembly programming for MOS 65XX processors. Written by Daniele Lanzillo, also known as M.A.W. 1968 (András Vajda), the book is a tribute to retrocomputing and is aimed at anyone who wants to delve into low-level programming. This special edition has been created specifically for the www.valoroso.it blog and can be downloaded for free at the bottom of this page. The book is abailable in Italian only.
Which computers does it apply to?
MOS Technology processors from the 65XX series were used in popular computers, such as the Commodore 64 (MOS 6510), the Commodore Vic20 (MOS 6502), the Apple IIe (MOS 6502), the Acorn BBC Micro (MOS 6502), and the Atari 800XL (MOS 6502).
Daniele Lanzillo, the author of the book Assembly for MOS 65XX processors
The author of the book Introduzione alla programmazione Assembly 8 bit – Volume I: MCS 65XX, Daniele Lanzillo, was born in 1968. He is part of that generation of nerds and geeks who lived their adolescence in the eighties, protagonists of the advent of home computers and the personal computing revolution. With a career spanning all stages of IT, from BBS to modern user groups, he has shared his technical know-how as a student and professional in the field of distributed embedded systems. Known as the "Master Assembly Wizard" for his expertise in Assembly and the achievement of significant milestones, today he continues to nurture a passion for retrocomputing, flanked by a mature and broad vision of the industry.
Assembly for MOS 65XX Processors, Chapter 1: Introduction
The book begins with an overview of Assembly programming for MOS 65XX processors, highlighting how this language, while considered "difficult" by many programmers, is actually the ideal tool for those who want to get the most out of their computer hardware. The book is specifically aimed at beginners.
Chapter 2: Very brief notes on the history of automatic calculation
This chapter introduces the origins of automatic computing, from Leibniz's binary system to the evolution of the first 8-bit microprocessors. The author also explores the Von Neumann and Harvard architectures, which are central to understanding the differences between the various types of microprocessors.
Chapter 3: Elements of Arithmetic for Digital Calculation
Daniele Lanzillo provides the basics of digital arithmetic, explaining the binary system and how microprocessors handle numbers and logical operations. Boolean logic is introduced, which is essential for understanding how Assembly Language works for MOS 65XX processors and other microprocessors. These notions are essential for anyone who wants to program at a low level.
Chapter 4: The MCS65xx CPU Family
The fourth chapter represents the technical heart of the book, focusing on the MOS 65XX family of microprocessors. The author analyzes the instruction set and explains in detail how to address it. Particular attention is paid to the management of registers and memory, fundamental concepts to understand the operation of these processors.
Chapter 5: Assembly Programming Examples
Daniele Lanzillo describes the tools needed to program in Assembly for MOS 65XX processors. The author talks about the most useful assemblers, emulators, and debuggers, as well as how to set up a modern development environment to program on vintage machines.
Practical tips and examples are provided to help you get the most out of these tools and start coding immediately. These examples cover a wide range of operations: register control, memory management, arithmetic operations, and input/output routines.
The code is structured progressively, starting from simple operations such as loading a value into a register, up to more complex procedures, such as sending strings to a generic display or monitor via KERNAL. The examples are written in a clear and detailed way, with comments explaining step-by-step how each code segment works. This approach makes the book accessible even to beginners.
Assembly for MOS 65XX processors, download
Are you passionate about retrocomputing?
Thanks to Daniele Lanzillo, this special edition for the www.valoroso.it blog (and for the @ValorosoIT channels) can be downloaded for free:
Introduzione alla programmazione Assembly 8 bit – Volume I
(the book is available in Italian)