Waterloo 6809 Assembler: Tutorial and Reference Manual

David Harvey was a Professor of Business Administration at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, Toronto.

The organization and layout of this book show that the authors have taken into consideration the special problems associated with learning a computer assembly language and accompanying software system. The division of the manual into an initial tutorial section followed by a reference section allows the reader to see the language as it is to be used while providing a reference to explain any parts which cause problems in comprehension. The examples are clear and complete, moving the reader from simple to complex problems in a smoothly flowing continuum. Chapters three through eight isolate and explain the major parts of the assembly process and the syntax of the language, as well as providing a short but complete section on structured programming.

On the negative side, I found the absence of any details pertaining to the EDITOR a minor irritant. While recognizing the need for a straightforward presentation, it is not clear whether a specific EDITOR is required or whether any one would do. My only other complaint stems from the statement in the preface which says that the book is designed for a novice. While the presentation is very clear and concise, the novice referred to should already have some assembly language knowledge prior to taking on the study of this book, due to the many references to common assembly language terms and concepts.

Aside from these minor points, the book is an excellent example of what a good text should be. Its format and presentation could well be studied to advantage by other textbook authors.