Interesting book on computers. Aimed at Beginners (1 Viewer)

Feb 27, 2011
14,670
74,880
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
This is an old book aimed at getting people up to speed on machine code and assembly language but it explains the internals of (an old) computer in really simple terms.

I think if you have even the slightest desire to learn about how computers work on the inside this would be an interesting read?

Broken Link Removed

Let me know how you get on please.. ::bigsmile:
 
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
Never got past programming a spectrum but it always seemed more complicated than the old " if go to and similar commands so never tried any more" :Doh:
 

WynandJean

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 23, 2010
6,670
3,303
West Midlands
Funster No
10,746
MH
Bailey Autograph 682
Exp
Since 2010
A fascinating book, as you say. Still a very complex subject, though.

Wyn

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
Gromett
Feb 27, 2011
14,670
74,880
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
A fascinating book, as you say. Still a very complex subject, though.

Wyn

Nothing worth doing is easy..

It may make you scratch your noggin a little bit but I thought it was one of the best intro books I have ever seen. Also as it is based on the old 8 bit computers it keeps it simple...

The first couple of chapters do a good job of explaining the internals I thought without getting into so much detail as to over complicate things.
 

ShiftZZ

LIFE MEMBER
Feb 19, 2008
21,379
84,097
Dark Side of the Moon
Funster No
1,546
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2007
Old Mo has just PM'd me, he has read the book (well Judy helped with the big words) and he has designed, programmed and compiled a new killer app, to get rid of 99% of all viruses, he has named it Domestos..

Sales at the mo are very liquid...

Karl, most funsters have problems getting dressed by themselves in the morning, the chances of any of us being able to write a programme (besides one or two aging geeks) is slim, more chance of getting ScotJim to run naked through Govan, with a Blue Tory Rosette tattooed on his willy urging them to vote for a pre op Lithuanian trannie, peat digging, Burstner owning Conservative.
 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
38,828
Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
Funster No
127
MH
None, now sold
Exp
2006 to 2022
Broken Link Removed is what we used to use in the 1970s/80s for brand new trainees taken on straight from school and people from outside the IT department who were taking the first step to learning how to write their own report programs.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 30, 2012
4,270
11,303
Home of the war horse
Funster No
22,676
MH
burstnar T640
Exp
2010
Old Mo has just PM'd me, he has read the book (well Judy helped with the big words) and he has designed, programmed and compiled a new killer app, to get rid of 99% of all viruses, he has named it Domestos..

Sales at the mo are very liquid...

Karl, most funsters have problems getting dressed by themselves in the morning, the chances of any of us being able to write a programme (besides one or two aging geeks) is slim, more chance of getting ScotJim to run naked through Govan, with a Blue Tory Rosette tattooed on his willy urging them to vote for a pre op Lithuanian trannie, peat digging, Burstner owning Conservative.

What's a trannie surely it should be transit ?
 
OP
OP
Gromett
Feb 27, 2011
14,670
74,880
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
Karl, most funsters have problems getting dressed by themselves in the morning, the chances of any of us being able to write a programme (besides one or two aging geeks) is slim, more chance of getting ScotJim to run naked through Govan, with a Blue Tory Rosette tattooed on his willy urging them to vote for a pre op Lithuanian trannie, peat digging, Burstner owning Conservative.

I think you might be surprised as to how many funsters wouldn't mind stretching themselves a little even if they have no intention of changing career :winky:

This book won't teach you how to program but will give you an insight into what is going on in that magic box of tricks.

As GJH says the book is aimed at those with no knowledge of computers.. :thumb:
 
Feb 4, 2010
2,329
1,590
Mid. Glamorgan, S. Wales
Funster No
10,168
MH
Motorhutch / Toy Camper
Exp
Since 2010
This is an old book aimed at getting people up to speed on machine code and assembly language but it explains the internals of (an old) computer in really simple terms.

I think if you have even the slightest desire to learn about how computers work on the inside this would be an interesting read?

Broken Link Removed

Let me know how you get on please.. ::bigsmile:

Wow....I'm not 100% certain, but I might have read (and quickly forgotten) that book when it first came out. 1983 would have been a year or two after my parents bought a VIC-20.

Oooh....I'm getting flashbacks to spending hours typing in assembler/machine code listings from computer magazines and then one typo causing the whole lot to lock up :swear:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
Mar 26, 2009
8,130
11,168
Yr Wyddgrug
Funster No
6,057
MH
Hymer B678DL
Exp
Since 2009
Simplest program for an IBM 360/370 mainframe consisted of the following statement:

BR 14

For those who remember(GJH), the supplied program was called IEFBR14.

I'll get my tweed jacket .........:ROFLMAO:
 
OP
OP
Gromett
Feb 27, 2011
14,670
74,880
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
Simplest program for an IBM 360/370 mainframe consisted of the following statement:

BR 14

For those who remember(GJH), the supplied program was called IEFBR14.

I'll get my tweed jacket .........:ROFLMAO:

Nice... Another bit of computer trivia to add to my list.
Bit more exciting than the RTS or NOP on the 6510 I learned on. It does more as well :thumb:
 

ShiftZZ

LIFE MEMBER
Feb 19, 2008
21,379
84,097
Dark Side of the Moon
Funster No
1,546
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2007
Stretch themselves!!!! , they are arthritic at best, are you trying to kill them?

The odds of Old Mo understanding anything that does not involve a lump hammer, concrete mixer and WD40 is not worth the effort..

One of the best programmers I ever met was RobC (Atari fame) complete geek.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
38,828
Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
Funster No
127
MH
None, now sold
Exp
2006 to 2022
Simplest program for an IBM 360/370 mainframe consisted of the following statement:

BR 14

For those who remember(GJH), the supplied program was called IEFBR14.

I'll get my tweed jacket .........:ROFLMAO:

I knew I should never have shown you that green card :roflmto:

I'd forgotten all about IEFBR14 - but it is a long time since I got my hands into mucky code. Requirements Definition is much easier than programing (as well as being the important bit) ::bigsmile:
 
Mar 26, 2009
8,130
11,168
Yr Wyddgrug
Funster No
6,057
MH
Hymer B678DL
Exp
Since 2009
I knew I should never have shown you that green card :roflmto:

[HI]I'd forgotten all about IEFBR14 - but it is a long time since I got my hands into mucky code. [/HI]Requirements Definition is much easier than programing (as well as being the important bit) ::bigsmile:


It ain't changed any in all those years:ROFLMAO:



:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:Oh really?:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 

Deckard

Free Member
Mar 26, 2013
513
469
Lancashire
Funster No
25,251
MH
...looking
Exp
Noob
Nice... Another bit of computer trivia to add to my list.
Bit more exciting than the RTS or NOP on the 6510 I learned on. It does more as well :thumb:

Wow someone else did this?!?!?!

I started with Z80 and moved to 6502 - they didnt have a compiler at the time - so I wrote one in BASIC - took ages - as any errors, just crashed the pc dead :cry:

I did eventually write a number of games which i sold to Imagine software and ...heck there was another i forget now (Ocean?)- but i made good money for a college boy :thumb:

I have written some VBS stuff recently and I wouldnt mind getting my head around coding again - what would you suggest gromett?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
Gromett
Feb 27, 2011
14,670
74,880
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
Wow someone else did this?!?!?!

I started with Z80 and moved to 6502 - they didnt have a compiler at the time - so I wrote one in BASIC - took ages - as any errors, just crashed the pc dead :cry:

I did eventually write a number of games which i sold to Imagine software and ...heck there was another i forget now (Ocean?)- but i made good money for a college boy :thumb:

I have written some VBS stuff recently and I wouldnt mind getting my head around coding again - what would you suggest gromett?

It would depends what you want to achieve?
Fun,
Fun with the possibility to make some pennies,
Self employed future programmer,
Business based programmer.
Web based programmer.

There are as many options as there are ideas.:thumb:

I can give you some suggestions if you give me a little bit of an idea what you want to do
 
Last edited:

Deckard

Free Member
Mar 26, 2013
513
469
Lancashire
Funster No
25,251
MH
...looking
Exp
Noob
It would depends what you want to achieve?
Fun,
Fun with the possibility to make some pennies,
Self employed future programmer,
Business based programmer.
Web based programmer.

There are as many options as there are ideas.:thumb:

I can give you some suggestions if you give me a little bit of an idea what you want to do

Had a good think about this....as i plan to be more or less full time by the end of the year, I am looking for alternative employment options...

So, agency or self employment is the only realistic option....i am thinking maybe java and/or android? As for type of work.....i dont mind as long as keeps the Hymer topped with diesel and food :thumb:
 
OP
OP
Gromett
Feb 27, 2011
14,670
74,880
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
Had a good think about this....as i plan to be more or less full time by the end of the year, I am looking for alternative employment options...

So, agency or self employment is the only realistic option....i am thinking maybe java and/or android? As for type of work.....i dont mind as long as keeps the Hymer topped with diesel and food :thumb:

I would check out the freelancer job sites. This will be the quickest way to pick up quick jobs. There is some competition out there. This would give you fast experience and get yourself a reputation. It is worth keeping a tech blog as well as this can generate quite a few jobs leads from google search.

I would look for short jobs at first that you can pick up and finish quickly. this will then dictate what you would need to learn. You may only get £10-£100 each for them but once you develop a good reputation more work will come in through recommendations.

If I was looking I would look for quick php dev jobs. Or server admin jobs. But this is what I am good at.

If I was starting from scratch I would start learning in 3 areas
1) for quick jobs - I would probably stick with PHP. There are lots of website developers out there with no programming ability and you can drop in and do things like form to mail, custom mysql stuff. or add on modules for wordpress and drupal. Ajax/javascript is also handy for this type of work.
2) I would then look for projects for the medium term (6-12 months) and this is where I would put probably a lot of my time. Based on my current interests I would go with Android Development. As this is a subset of Java it would also mean that long term learning Java and polishing up my C++ would be easier.
3) Long term (1-2 years) I would be looking for a Major project to get involved with. My current thinking is to specialise in a particular part of linux rather than being a generalist. My currrent thoughts are to learn everything possible about postfix and write a couple of extension modules. I could then pick up work as a specialist postfix consultant. There are literally 100's of Linux components to choose from. Pick one that is essential to hosting providers or people with dedicated servers and you have a captive market.

You never know though, you may pick up enough of the quick and dirty jobs to make an easy living and not progress to 2 or 3.

I personally like to have many arrows in my quiver.

I currently run a small hosting company and do some server admin and security consultancy on the side. But I would love to get back to the dev world as providing support 24/7/52 becomes a bit of a ballache after 15 years of doing it.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top