Thread: GNUSim8085 Assembly language programming

Despite n generations of programming languages, uber-usable IDEs and the new wave of SaaS, the fundamentals of computer science remain unchanged. So, it is not surprising when academics stress the need for budding engineers to make themselves comfortable with the architecture of computer systems and assembly language programming. Consequently, most computer engineering curricula include a course or two on microprocessors and how to program them. And invariably, the 8-bit Intel 8085 is the first processor that students learn about.

Having come out unscathed from two )lP (pronounced mu-pee, leaving the pun aside!) courses in my engineering years myself, I know that the practical classes for the subject in most Indian colleges are conducted using proprietary tools and platforms. There's reason for that trend to change now: GNUSim8085. Developed
by Sridhar Ratnakumar in 2003 when he was a college student himself, the project is a Linux-based tool for writing assembly programs and compiling them to print the machine instructions that can be run on a real 8085 microprocessor. A true techie, Sridhar finished the first prototype of GNUSim8085 in three days fiat and started using it straightaway to prepare for his exams.

Impressive! One of the major USPs of GNUSim8085 is its ease of use. Users can write assembly language code, click Execute and review the contents of the memory registers using convenient stack, memory and register panes. GNUSim8085 is also ideal for debugging since it gives users the flexibility of using break points, stepping through each line of code or using functional calls. In addition, it also provides a keypad for users who are not comfortable typing out assembly language instructions manually.



Taking the baton on from Sridhar, Aanjhan and Onkar Shinde make up the current active development team for the project. Aanjhan is an active member of the Chennai LUG and an avowed Ubuntu fan. In fact, he has been involved in the Ubuntu MOTU Science team that has been 'Debianising' key science-related open source packages, especially in the electronics domain. Onkar, another Ubuntu fan, has been contributing to the packaging initiatives of the distro. Aanjhan blogs at.tuxmaniac.com and Onkar at .

GNUSim8085 has already won over a strong following among engineering students, who find it a convenient too for practice. "Thank you e-mails keep pouring in," share Sridhar, "and it feels good that our efforts have borne fruit." He sees initiatives like FOSS India Awards as an integral part of the open source ecosystem, encouraging developers to contribute their best. On the other hand, h also acknowledges that OSS is not just about rewards and recognition. "I have come to understand that developers are the most productive when they are working on a 'fun project," he quips.

Sharing the project roadmap, Sridhar explains that the team has received a number of feature requests (see http://gnusimB085.sQurcejorge.net/gsoc2k8 _ideas. html). "We also need help in making the project's user interface GNOME HIG compliant and simpler to use," he explains. "Help with documentation is welcome, and so a ideas for a new project logo," he adds.

Going ahead, the GNUSim8085 team is also exploring the possibility of integrating development efforts with gpsim85, a similar open source project that it has come across on Sourceforge. In corporate lingo, is a 'confiuenc of synergies' possible here? We'll wait and see!