#: 8918 S12/OS9/68000 (OSK)
    27-Dec-90  23:53:27
Sb: #8913-#68000 ASM Language
Fm: Jack Crenshaw 72325,1327
To: Ed Gresick 76576,3312 (X)

Ed, one of the interesting things about the software business is what creatures
of habit we are.  For people who claim to be creative, it's amazing how much we
stick to the "tried and true."  Look at the following code:

       foobar: move x(pc),d0
               move y(pc),d0
               bge next
               subq #1,d1
               dbra foobar
       next:   ...

Not everyone would recognize the particular machine this is for, but almost
EVERYONE would agree that this looks like assembler language.  The layout:
Labels starting in column 1, three or four-letter mnemonics, followed by
arguments ... dates from the original assembler, SAP, for the IBM 650 circa
1952.  We've been using it ever since.  I've never understood why people pick
mnemonics like JSR or BRA when there are perfectly good words (CALL and GOTO)
already in use.

Some years ago I set out to define a "rational" assembler language for the
8080.  A few examples are show below

       MOV A,B          -->     A=B
       ADD A,B          -->     A+B
       CALL FOO         -->     CALL FOO   { That's one Intel got RIGHT!)
       JNZ  BAR         -->     IF !0 BAR


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