16-Bit and 32-Bit Microprocessors: Architecture, Software, and Interfacing Techniques

Rating:
Summary: Useful 68000/20 and x86 reference guide
Review: This book Covers: Architecture, software and interfacing techniques for these 16-bit and 32-bit microprocessors, Intel 8086,80386 and motorola 68000,68020

I purchased this book hoping to learn more about the x86 and 68000 CPU families and programming for those architectures. This book gives plenty of necessary background information regarding the internal workings of these CPU's, while being well-written and easy to follow. The chapters are ordered in a logical fashion, firstly introducing the reader to the high level, software programming, aspect of the architecture, and then in later chapters providing very detailed information regarding the physical structure and workings of the CPU. This allows readers to easily read through the topic of their interest without being overwhelmed by other information. Although I have not read entirely through the book, I find it to be a valuable source of reference. This book provides thorough descriptions of the CPU's instructions, internal registers, memory interfacing and other important CPU-specific information. It also gives many examples, and regular exercises, for each topic covered which helps the reader to memorize what they had just read. The charts are also very clear and make the explanations a lot easier to understand. Protected mode for 80386 is clearly covered and well-explained with easy to understand diagrams and memory exercises. I recommend this book to all people with a keen interest in CPU architectures. Beginners, like myself, could try other assembly language guides, many of which are available through the internet, as this book, despite being well-written, may be a bit too much for a primer in assembly language for a beginner. But no matter at what stage you are, this book will always be a great reference guide.