abkt (u/abkt) - Readit News

abkt commented on Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II · Posted by u/abkt

Tor3 · 15 days ago

For that you'll need Apple II documentation - though that's device-specific information. It's easy to find online, e.g. https://nicole.express/2024/phasing-in-and-out-of-existence...., but there's lots more with various levels of info. This one, for example: https://www.kreativekorp.com/miscpages/a2info/memorymap.shtm...

For actual 6502 programming you'll need a dedicated 6502 assembly programming book, for example the aforementioned Rodney Zaks books.

abkt · 15 days ago

Is the Apple II Reference Manual good for that ? Or anything specific to the Apple II, like "What's Where in the Apple" or "Understanding the Apple II" ?

abkt commented on Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II · Posted by u/abkt

le-mark · 15 days ago

Google can be very helpful for these types of queries:

https://www.google.com/search?q=apple+2+game+programming+tut...

Formulating questions is a valuable skill as is finding existing resources.

As some one from that era, it is truly amazing how much information there is online about all aspects of 8 bit computers

abkt · 15 days ago

I don't think online tutorials are a good ressources to learn programming. We just have to look at what juniors can do nowadays (they can't even write a simple program, and I'm from that generation). That's why I asked for books.

abkt commented on Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II · Posted by u/abkt

Tor3 · 15 days ago

Seconded. I bought the first edition of "Programming the 6502" way back in the neolithic, and I enjoyed it greatly. I even read parts of it again now and then these days too, just because I like it. I used to write assembly on, at first, the AIM-65, and later the Apple II.

abkt · 15 days ago

Is Programming the 6502 enough to learn Assembly on the Apple II ? But it doesn't explain the memory and screen management, right ? So how can we learn that ?

abkt commented on Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II · Posted by u/abkt

OhMeadhbh · 15 days ago

This is the book I used when I was writing serial drivers for Apple II ProDOS: https://archive.org/details/6502_Assembly_Language_Programmi...

And I have a vague memory of this book: https://archive.org/details/aiimp/mode/2up

Not sure what level you're at, but I can't remember if this is the text Jef Raskin wrote, but it's a decent backgrounder: https://archive.org/details/aiirm/mode/2up

abkt · 15 days ago

I don't have any programming experience.

abkt commented on Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II · Posted by u/abkt

asdefghyk · 15 days ago

The answer would depend on what programming experience you have? Do you have any assembly language experience ? with other targets? ie have you used an assembler ( and maybe linker ) before. Are you familiar with hex? bytes, bits etc , You will learn this and much more ...

Id look for a book that targets Assembly programming on a Apple 2, ie not a book on general 6502 programming.

   Such a book Id expect to discuss things like Apple 2 memory map , Apple 2 hardware and how they are used in assembler language.

Hopefully the book would also provide guidance using a particular assembler ( hopefully still available)

I googled phrase Apple 2 assembly language programming for beginners?

and lots of very good looking links popped up.

You aim is a challenging task. Much to learn. Good luck. However entirely do able these days.

My background is electronics engineer, embedded programing on in assembler (some Motorola processors and others) and C for a few years before moving on to other things ....

The book Assembly Lines: The Complete Book available as a FREE PDF download from .... site https://ct6502.org/product/assembly-lines-the-complete-book/

INCLUDES All 33 of Roger Wagner’s Assembly Lines articles from Softalk magazine, plus appendices, in one complete volume.

abkt · 15 days ago

I have litteraly no programming experience, that's partly why I want to learn 6502 Assembly.