Learning was Re: [geeks] Am I getting too old or something.....

[David Cantrell]

On Tue, Jul 16, 2002 at 07:26:01PM -0400, Dave McGuire wrote:
>   I'm not suggesting starting by studying the physics of how electrons
> move through wires...but I WOULD suggest learning about what a
> microprocessor is and how they work.  Have James dig you up a
> single-board computer with a hex keypad & display, and key in some
> hand-assembled programs that just blink lights or count or something.

I'd recommend getting an old 8-bit machine off ebay, and learning to
program it in BASIC and assembler.  That's how I got started anyway.
With many of the old machines, there are thriving online communities
now, with large archives of software - including tools, as well as all
the games - who would be happy to help.  Many will also have commented
dis-assemblies of the machines' ROMs too and the manuals that came with
the machines often had circuit diagrams.

-- 
David Cantrell | Benevolent Dictator | http://www.cantrell.org.uk/david

One person can change the world, but most of the time they shouldn't
    -- Marge Simpson