Rating: 
Summary: It's pretty much ok
Review: The book is not terrible. However, it is not very organized. The author is evidently very knowledgeable in the field. The problem with this book is that it does not clearly explain the concepts that it introduces. This book is meant to be an introduction to assembly language, but it is not really so. I don't think the author clearly explains the theory. I have worked with much better written books than this one. This book should be used as reference, if anything, rathen than as a guide or text book for an introductory course in assembly. Also, another important point to make is that there are several mistakes throughtout the book. I don't really recommend this book but I still chose to give it 2 stars because it does contain useful information.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent textbook
Review: This book has a good opening. When I learn a programming language, I want to see a sample program as soon as possible. This book provides such a sample program immediately after a short introduction to hardware concepts. This sample program loads registers, changes their contents, and dumps them. One can type the program in, see how it works, and gain a good confidence for further reading. The library procedures provided by the author are helpful for learning and debugging. Usually, programs in assembly languages are difficult to debug, and their execution is hard to track, even if debug software is used. For programs in high-level languages, one can easily insert into them input and output statements to track their execution. For assembly language, writing such statements may be harder than writing the program itself. With these library procedures, especially those for data input/output, one can easily track the execution. The 4th edition of this book emphasizes programming in 32-bit protected mode. In this mode, flat memory addresses are used. Students do not have to convert a 16-bit segment-offset address into a 20-bit address. This tremendously simplifies the addressing concepts and eases the learning. This book does cover 16-bit real-mode in later chapters when students are more ready for it. A good textbook must be easy for reading as well as for reference. This book has both features. It starts with short explanations, uses excellent diagrams, and discusses comprehensive applications for every topic covered. Topics are well classified into fundamentals and advanced, 32-bit Windows programming and 16-bit DOS programming, protected mode and real-address mode, etc. Important aspects of assembly language are all included, systematically organized, and well indexed.
Rating:
Summary: An instructor's view
Review: This reviews the FORTH edition published July 25, 2002 This text addresses the needs of students who can write programs in a high-level language and wish to learn assembly language for the Intel family of microprocessors. The forth edition contains an abundance of new material. The author introduces 32-bit protect-mode programming using the Microsoft Windows platform and he delays coverage of 16-bit real-mode programming using the MS-DOS platform until chapter 13. Only MS-DOS programming was covered in the previous edition. Each section contains review questions and each chapter ends with a summary and several programming exercises. The author clearly describes each concept and uses excellent diagrams and code examples throughout the text. Several new topics have been added to this edition such as graphics programming in both Windows and DOS applications. The early chapters present an overview of the Intel IA-32 architecture and cover the principles and techniques of programming Windows console applications in assembly language. The author has encapsulated the details of the Windows application interface in his 32-bit library, which the students use throughout the first 10 chapters. This allows the students to focus on learning and using the instruction set to create solutions to the programming problems. The details of his library routines are revealed in Chapter 11. Chapter 12 covers assembly language routines that can be called from a high-level language. Both 32-bit and 16-bit C/C++ compilers are used in the examples. The remaining chapters (13 through 17) cover 16-bit real-mode MS-DOS and BIOS programming in much the same way as was done in the third edition, but many more example programs have been added. A CD-ROM accompanies this text and contains the complete Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM 6.15), Microsoft's 32-bit and 16-bit Linkers, all example programs from the text, the source code for the author's 32-bit and 16-bit link libraries, and many more useful files. Chapter 17, Advanced Topics, is contained on the CD-ROM and is not printed in the textbook. The author's web site ... contains an abundance of support material which he keeps current. Most useful are a list of corrections to the textbook, updates to the files contained on the CD-ROM, and the answers to the odd-numbered Review Questions. There are instructions for installing the assembler, configuring and using various integrated development environments, and links to other useful information such as the MASM 6 manual set and the author's e-mail address. Five chapters from the textbook are posted on his site for your review. Professors can access a password-protected area that contains answers to all of the review questions, solutions to the programming exercises, and a set of PowerPoint slides for use in the classroom. Assembly language is much easier to learn when protect-mode is covered before real-mode. Early use of flat addressing allows coverage of segmented addressing to be delayed until the students have learned the complete instruction set. Flat addressing also makes it easy to locate run-time errors. The addresses contained in the Windows run-time error dialog box corresponds with the addresses in the linker's map file and the assembler's list file. The topics flow better when the simpler Windows interface is covered before the more complex interrupt service routines of MS-DOS and BIOS. I have successfully used the previous edition of this textbook for several semesters. Including techniques for protect-mode programming in the forth edition provides the additional information most often requested by students. This review is based on material I received from the publisher as a reviewer.
Rating:
Summary: Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers (3rd Edition)
Review: The book contained many useful informations for those who love programming in Assembly Language. I got an A in the course without any prior experiences. I read the book and practise on the computer. To me, reading and practice the commands from the book on computer are the most necessity for anyone who loving this language. Do it now and see how wonderful of changing from small-coding texts to the beautiful color graphics on your computer's screen.
Do it now, Lazy boys and girls
Rating: 
Summary: Horrible book
Review: This book should be used as an example of how not to write text books. The index is very poor to the point of not being usable. In order to find anything in the book you have to skim every page in the chapter you think something should be in. The examples and text have little to do with the problems presented at the end of each chapter.
Rating:
Summary: Can be used only as reference, not for learning.
Review: It is obvious that the book is very poorly organized, I haven't seen worse. And looks that it is done deliberately, to confuse the reader from the beginning to the end. The book is not for beginners, and can be used mostly as reference. I wonder why colleges continue to use it as learning material - don't they have any choice? I'm very much afraid to fail the class with that text.
Rating:
Summary: A Disgrace to the programming community.
Review: I am currently enrolled in an assmebly language course in college, and this text book is a complete pile of trash. The author tries to make himself feel better, by talking his knowledge on a basis of expertise, when in fact, this is for beginners. He acts as though he is the god of ASM, and that his readers should look up to him. He jumps around all over the place, like he is high on acid. I failed my ASM course, and i will be taking it next semester, due to this pile of (...junk) you call a "book". I will drop this book off at the local trash can (...).
Rating:
Summary: Kip is GOD and a superComputer!
Review: Excellent book for the use in computer classes.
The author is a genius.
We love you, Kip!
Rating:
Summary: Not a very organized book
Review: I am in the process of taking assembly language programming now. We are using this book and I find it very confusing and very hard to follow. The author jumps from one thing to the next often referring to things taught in future chapters. It is hard to write programs because you are not sure where to look for help. I hope that if you are looking for a book to learn assembly language, that you will please choose another one.
Rating:
Summary: Good but incomplete
Review: Probably a decent real-mode reference, but VERY tied to MASM (pretty much ignored the existence of other assemblers) to the point that it implies that MASM directives are actually 386 directives. Oh, and it DOES NOT COVER PROTECTED MODE AT ALL!
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