Topic: What's It Used For? (Read 48 times)

SeQr · « **on:** October 18, 2003, 11:06:00 AM »

Just a question, what's the language Assembler used for these days?

The Pen is mightier · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2003, 08:43:00 PM »

assembling the language, duh.

Chicken Scratch Boy · « **Reply #2 on:** October 19, 2003, 09:00:00 PM »

2. you're talking about Assembaly, right? no freaking idea.

BenJeremy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2003, 03:13:00 AM »

Assembler is still used, just much less so these days.

Assembler is a sort of high-level version of the processor's machine code. It adds some helpful functionality to assist in repetitive bits of code, but still requires that the programmer intimately understand the basic processor's instruction set.

It is still used for portions of code that are critical - such as "atomic" operations like disabling or enabling interrupts and speed critical operations. It is also basically REQUIRED at the bootstrap level - somebody has to develop those routines used to interface and initialize hardware components of the system. For most developers, this work is already done, and the remaining tasks are simple enough to do in C/C++.

SeQr · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2003, 10:15:00 AM »

Ok, thank you for the information everyone. Just another question, if I'm not mistaking Assembler could be used on a xbox processor to for example, I mean basically it's a normal processor. Or not?

BenJeremy · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2003, 10:55:00 AM »

QUOTE (SeQr @ Oct 20 2003, 02:15 PM)

Ok, thank you for the information everyone. Just another question, if I'm not mistaking Assembler could be used on a xbox processor to for example, I mean basically it's a normal processor. Or not?

Of course... x86, in particular, the 80386 assembly language, used with SSE, MMX, and floating point extensions will work fine.

I just wouldn't recommend anybody code anything significant with it.

Author Topic: What's It Used For? (Read 48 times)