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6502-based microcomputers like the Apple II shipped with BASIC and a 6502 monitor. The reason is that BASIC and low-level monitors can fit into tiny amounts of

6502-based microcomputers like the Apple II shipped with BASIC and a 6502 monitor. The reason is that BASIC and low-level monitors can fit into tiny amounts of memory.

kstrauser 2y ago
My C64 didn't come with a monitor. I typed one in from a magazine, then learned assembly by entering instructions directly into it. I was so thrilled to discover assemblers later.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- selcuka 2y ago
  I thought I was in heaven when I got the Action Replay cartridge (not the genuine, but a clone with the same software) that came with a monitor, a "freezer", fastloader, and various disk utilities.
  - kstrauser 2y ago
    Young me envies you so much.
DonHopkins 2y ago
The Apple ][ (not plus) Integer Basic ROMs included an interactive 6502 "Mini Assembler"! That and the Applesoft ROMs also included a disassembler. https://downloads.reactivemicro.com/Users/Grant_Stockley/Apple2WozMiniAssembler.pdf https://downloads.reactivemicro.com/Users/Grant_Stockley/App...
- kazinator 2y ago
  If you had a 16 kB memory card (a.k.a "Language Card") you could overlay the ROM memory with RAM, and load the Integer Basic ROM overe the AppleSoft Basic ROM. AppleSoft did "everything" with floating-point variables, like loops indexing into arrays. It's amazing that programs ran at usable speeds on a 1 Mhz machine.