- Mon Oct 31, 2016 10:35 am
#57440
danbicks wrote:<...> I still teach assembler as I think it is a vital skill to have and for students to understand low level programming.<...>
Computer Programming is like driving a fine motorcar: one can get behind the wheel and steer, operate the accelerator, brake, and transmission and eventually get to their destination but remain totally detached from the machine that took them the distance. Or, the operator can learn the machine, understand its performance curve, appreciate the transmission gearing, thrill with the steering, braking, mechanical nuances and arrive at the destination ready to do it all again.
But, not everyone appreciates the low-level manipulations. API's and libraries abstract programming constructs in all languages and make programming more efficient but a proficient programmer does not need to write her/his libraries in order to write a good program; high level programming is all about meeting the requirements of the program.
I think all programmers should be exposed to a weebit of assembler just to understand the interaction of the layers: a kind of artistic appreciation. But few will likely go down the low-level path and I do not see any particular reason that they should other than just to know that some special magic is happening beneath their programs.
Ray