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The idea behind the program is good, but the implementation is weak. The action of an imaginary processor is simulated by a Basic program, with provision for assembly, disassembly, store modification, and even save and load. Since the maximum length of the simulated program is 32 locations, the latter provision seems unnecessary.

Only sixteen instructions are available, the mnemonics being LDA, STA, INA, OUT, ADD, NEG, LSL, LSR, SBC, ADC, ROL, CMP, JMP, JNZ, JNC and HLT. This offers very limited scope for program construction. As a means of teaching a beginner how to handle machine code, it is like using a kiddie-car to train for world championship motor racing.

To make matters worse, there were inconsistencies in the coding. The user, told to use 'end' to return to the main menu, eventually finds that the required input is 'END'.

D.T.