Re: The War On HLA

From: Jeff Duntemann (jeff_at_duntemann.com)
Date: 10/27/03 

Date: 26 Oct 2003 19:25:28 -0800

"Beth" <BethStone21@hotmail.NOSPICEDHAM.com> wrote in message news:<z_Ifb.1569$C57.160@newsfep1-gui.server.ntli.net>...
> Randy wrote:
> > Jeff Duntemann has a *fine* book, "Assembly Step-By-Step" that I
> would
> > recommend to anyone who is attempting to learn assembly language
> > as their first programming language. It uses NASM.
>
> Oh, no! He mentioned Jeff Duntemann!
>
> Remember, whatever you do...don't mention Jeff Duntemann!
>
> [ Sorry, running gag for those that don't know...someone posted a
> complaint that there was supposedly a "conspiracy" against Jeff
> Duntemann...while, in fact, it was just that hardly anyone knew about
> the book who was in that thread...hence, the "don't mention Jeff
> Duntemann" is, you see, all part of this non-existent "conspiracy"
> against him...apparently...although, of course, the grand irony is
> that he's probably got far more publicity for his work through this
> gag about a "conspiracy" than without it, that it's probably the worst
> conspiracy to keep Jeff Duntemann off the topic of conversation ever
> ;)
>
> Shame Debs isn't around, she found that joke quite funny...so did
> _Jeff Duntemann himself_, actually...he actually wrote me an Email
> months later that he'd found the thread about his book and thought all
> the "don't mention" jokes were very funny...and getting that Email
> months later when I wasn't expecting was itself very amusing for me,
> coming out of the blue from the man himself...amazing how such a
> simple (and slightly pathetic) joke can spread so many smiles ;) ]
>
> So, remember, folks, don't mention Jeff Duntemann!!!
>
> Also, Jeff Duntemann may not physically be present in this newsgroup
> or anything...but, as I got that Email from him, he apparently "scans"
> over the newgroups from time to time to see if there's any mention of
> his book...like someone posting up a problem about something in it on
> the newsgroups...
>
> Hence, if you are using Jeff Duntemann's book and you hit a problem
> then you can actually send a "Jeff Duntemann signal" (something like a
> "bat-signal" but where Jeff Duntemann shows up, not Batman ;) to
> him...you probably won't get a reply for months, mind you...but if
> you're patient and he's in the mood to bother to reply to you, then it
> might be one way to get a message to the big man himself...
>
> A bit like the all-seeing eye of God, just with a built-in delay of a
> few months...just write "Jeff Duntemann's step by step assembly" in a
> post along with your problem and then stick it up on the group...sit
> back and wait a few months...bring to a boil and then serve with a
> garnish of parsley around the edge...hehehe ;)
>
> Beth ;)

Hey, I even eat the parsley.

This thread has gotten pretty surreal, wow. I'm not even sure this
post will take, but it's no big secret that authors do an "egoscan"
with Google (or whatever) from time to time to see what people are
saying about their books. I'm working in other areas than assembly
right now, but I'm always gathering notes on what to do in the next
edition, which the publisher is in no hurry to contract at the moment.
(They kept the second edition in print for eight years!) I suspect it
will go all-Linux; that's what people are asking for.

I'm not hard to find on the Net; smoke signals not required--and no
need to wait for me to scan the group here. Just see
www.duntemann.com.

I'll take this opportunity to reiterate that I wrote my book to teach
more than just assembly. I want people to understand what lies beneath
all those nifty HLLs. I want them to know how these infernal machines
work, which requires knowing something about how the silicon is put
together, what memory addressing is, things like that. You can become
fluent in any number of HLLs without even knowing what memory
addressing or hex is. However, I've found that knowing assembly will
make you a better Pascal programmer (which is my other language,
endangered though it may be) and will probably help you in almost any
language, including Basic. It reminds you that there is a *machine*
under all that syntax--and that the machine is really the point of all
that energy and torn hair. HLLs are disposable, and mostly
interchangeable. Assembly language is a (mostly) complete description
of the underlying machine. Know assembly, know the machine--and
knowing the machine is good.

BTW, Randy has said elsewhere that I'm much more famous for my Pascal
books, which isn't true. My assembly books (in their three editions)
have outsold all my other books put together, and generated about
three times the mail. Most of my magazine work was about Pascal
(primarily in DDJ ten years ago) but that trail's gotten pretty cold,
and my last Pascal book went out of print in 1997. There will (alas)
be no more.

When I begin work on the fourth edition of my book, I will become a
regular here, trust me.

Yes, Beth, the publicity has been delicious--better than the parsley,
certainly. Many thanks.

--73--

--Jeff Duntemann
  Colorado Springs, Colorado

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