I've been thinking about the abbreviated names used in assembly language. Why do we see instructions like 'mov' instead of 'move' or 'int' instead of 'interrupt'? Wouldn't it be easier to read if they were written out fully? I mean, other languages seem to avoid this level of abbreviation, so what's the reasoning behind it?
5 Answers
When assembly languages were created, they were a convenience over hand-translating machine code. Short names were a reasonable compromise given the storage limitations of the time. It's similar in other languages too—abbreviations are common because they save time and effort!
And many languages still have shorter forms, like 'int' for integer!
Back in the day, computers had very limited memory. Every byte counted because assemblers had to fit in the RAM alongside the programs. For example, in the early days, computers sometimes had 16KB of RAM. Longer instruction names would require more memory for the assembler's table, making it hard to fit everything into RAM.
Exactly! Back then, programs were written on punch cards, and those abbreviated commands really saved time.
Totally! Adding a second floppy drive made compiling a lot faster. No more juggling diskettes.
The constraints of early CPUs played a big role too. Short instruction sets helped accommodate the limited space available, particularly on devices like the original Intel 4004 microprocessor.
Knowing that definitely puts things into perspective! It's amazing how far we've come.
Absolutely! Back then, every bit of storage was precious.
Many early instructions were just three letters for simplicity, and as programming evolved, sticking to short names became a tradition. Even now, the fast-paced nature of coding often favors brevity over extra clarity for those who are familiar with the commands.
It's true! Shorter commands help avoid errors when typing, especially in the era of punch cards.
Yeah, that punch card era made every character count!
These days, we've got more memory to play with and longer instruction names in some new sets (e.g., SIMD instructions like 'VBROADCASTI128'). But the short names have kind of stuck around because people are just used to them. Plus, they make typing faster without sacrificing much readability for experienced programmers.
Yeah! It's all about what you're used to. If you know the mnemonics well, the short versions feel way easier to work with.
For a lot of programmers, 'mov' just feels more efficient than typing out a longer command.
Haha, we are all kind of lazy. Who has time to type longer?!