newbie building a scratch-built computer

[Grant Stockly]

At 04:35 PM 8/1/2007, you wrote:
>On Aug 1, 2007, at 7:57 PM, Ensor wrote:
>>  > That sort of thing tends to not have very much use in today's job
>>  >market, unfortunately.
>>
>>As an assembly language programmer of some 29 years experience (not
>>to mention some 31 years experience of electronics....I started
>>young) I agree with that in spades!
>>
>>The last time I had a job as an assembly language programmer was 16
>>years ago, and even then those types of jobs were damn thin on the
>>ground (now they're non-existant)
>
>   Guess I'd better quit my job, then!
>
>   If you want to work in a world where assembly language programming
>and optimizing for every single byte of code or memory utilization
>still counts, get into the embedded systems world.
>
>   A lot of (clueless) companies want their embedded code written in
>Java or C++ or such foolishness, but really, if they're really that
>stupid, you don't want to work for them anyway.

Building and programming the Altair 8800, Altair 680, Kenbak, etc has done 
nothing but strengthen the skills I use at work too.  I program AVR 
microcontrollers in both C and assembly.

No matter what language, toggling in your code teaches (or scares) you to 
write efficient code.  : )

Grant