A Friendly review of "Windows Programming in Assemble Language" chapter 3

From: The Wannabee (faq_at_.@.@.@.@.@szmyggenpv.com)
Date: 05/11/04 

Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 06:14:22 +0200

This is an independent evaluation of Randall Hydes book "Windows
Programming in Assemble Language".

Chapter 3:
http://webster.cs.ucr.edu/Page_win32/WindowsAsmPgm/html/Ch03.html#998449
Chapter 3: The C - Assembly Connection

3.1: Why are We Reading About C?
In this section Randy answers his own question. He says that C is
important to know, as much Windows information is available in C.
3.2: Basic C Programming From an Assembly Perspective
- Basically a commersial of HLA, and its ability to bridge the gap for asm
programmers to learn C and for C programmers to learn assembler. Randall
ressurect HLA status to an assembler (Which it is not) and positions HLA
as a needed crossroad, a bridge between to worlds.
3.2.1: C Scalar Data Types
6 lines of redundant useless information about the C language.
3.2.1.1: C and Assembler Integer Data Types
Some more redundant info bridging HLA & the C language. Beginner stuff.
.......
3.3: Function Calls, Parameters, and the Win32 Interface

As you can see, the whole area from 3.2.1.1 and to 3.3 is ommitted. It is
all relating HLA to C language. It explains how things done in C language
can also be done in HLA. It claims still that HLA is an assembly
language. This is wrong. The info here is beginner stuff. Useful maybe to
C programmers, but it duplicates C tutorials, and it also duplicates HLA
tutorials. The new things is that it explains the diffrences, but mostly
the common ground between HLA and C.

3.3.2.1: Register Preservation and Scratch Registers in Win32 Calls
This is actually useful information to windows assembly programmers. This
information is however old hat and is redundant. It seems Randy has
restated the ABI. But this info is allready available elsewhere. For
example in the documents at the RosAsm site : <
http://betov.free.fr/RosAsm.html >

This good trend continues until and including
3.3.2.5: Data Alignment and Padding

The rest of this chapter includes a discussion of Hungarian Notation,
which I never knew had a name, but was completly familiar to me. Because I
read win32.hlp, and c examples are filled with this never need notation
that generally makes C hard to read.

Summary:
The discussion of C in regards to Win32 API _might_ have some use. Reason
I am not sure, is that I remember reading C code in windows API, and went
out buying a C book to try to understand it. But this information should
not be included in a book about assembly language. First because the
information is completly redundant, and available elsewhere, and second
because it takes focus away from whats important with any book, on any
topic. A teaching book should not try to be everything to everybody. If it
feels some info is needed, to give the user full view (as if written to a
beginner ), it should give referances to this material, and not simply
parrot it, rephrase it. It is not needed. If I buy a book called "Windows
Programming in Assemble Language", I dont want to read about C language or
HLA, or any other HLL - language. I want to read about "Windows
Programming in Assemble Language". It is in my view disrespectful of Randy
to try to take information available elsewhere and put it into his own
book. It is disrespectful, and not needed. And to me it shows that the
author neither has any real respect of other peoples work and time, and
that he also have no respect for his readers. At the outset he told us,
that if we didnt know anything about win32 api, we would not have much use
for the book, like if it was written for more advanced coders, but this
chapter, he takes the users hand and guard them like small children
through some simple basic nOOb material, that is debatable if it has any
use to an assembler programmer at all. In short this chapter can be
avoided reading by anyone but totally blankhead beginners. The material in
this chapter is redundant. Redundant is not where you want to be, if your
goal is to become an asm programmer. But at the end Randall promisses us
that it is now time for asm. Finally. So in chapter 4, the good stuff will
arrive ? Hang on, we are diving in. 

-- 
http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame5.html

Relevant Pages

  • Re: HLA StdLib2 criticism
    ... HLC.EXE with an already existing C compiler and calls it HLC system. ... Suppose someone creates a new language and calls it "High Level ... Assembler" (HLA). ...
    (alt.lang.asm)
  • Re: A comparison of HLA to VC++...
    ... So you are saying that HLA is a hodge-podge of different languages ... > programming habits that will be useful when you graduate to the real ... Quite a remarkable achievement to all be in just one programming language, ... HLA an "assembly language" or an "assembler" (indeed, ...
    (alt.lang.asm)
  • Re: What is an assembly language?
    ... HLA is an assembler. ... So what is this essential ability of an assembly language that is ... > that Randy-HLA isn't an x86 assembler. ...
    (alt.lang.asm)
  • Re: HLA StdLib2 criticism
    ... Assembler" (HLA). ... Can that person call this the "FASM language?" ... but also of course not he can call it an assembler ... Therefore HLC.EXE can't be called a compiler. ...
    (alt.lang.asm)
  • Re: The best Assembler.
    ... I'm not professing that using HLA made me an expert assembly ... This is probably a referrence to AoA's use of HLL as an introduction ... Not because you later write applications in assembler ... about the lowest level you can go is devise programming through the OS ...
    (alt.lang.asm)