Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!thetone!swilson
From: swilson%thetone@Sun.COM (Scott Wilson)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Assembly or ....
Message-ID: <78790@sun.uucp>
Date: 22 Nov 88 18:43:22 GMT
References: <1388@aucs.UUCP>
Sender: news@sun.uucp
Reply-To: swilson@sun.UUCP (Scott Wilson)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mountain View
Lines: 32

In article <1388@aucs.UUCP> 861087p@aucs.UUCP (A N D R E A S) writes:
>
>     Since this are Newsgroups that mainly programmers write I
>would like to ask them if it really worth it to spend time to
>learn assembly language.
>[...]
>I've been told also that there are some low-level operations
>that you just can't do in C or any other high level language.
>Device drivers are also written in assemly.

I was once semi-fluent 68000, but not anymore.  Learning at least
one assembly language is, in my opinion, a very valuable experience
whether or not you plan to program in it extensively.  It gives you
a better feel for what goes on "underneath" C and certainly builds
appreciation for compilers.  It also comes in handy if you suspect
that your compiler is buggy as you can look at its output to see
if it is doing the right thing.

UNIX kernels are a good example of what can and can't be done in
a high-level language.  Device drivers as well as nearly all of the
kernel is in C.  The parts that are in assembly deal with low-level
fun stuff like altering priorities, initializing/handling traps,
interrupts, etc.

I'd say its definitely worth it to spend the time to learn
assembly language.


--
Scott Wilson		arpa: swilson@sun.com
Sun Microsystems	uucp: ...!sun!swilson
Mt. View, CA