When I took the university assembly language course it taught COMPASS, for a CDC Cyber mainframe. It used:
* Octal * 18 bit address registers * 60 bit data registers So it had no direct relevance for IBM mainframes, where I started with Assembler H, I think. Or maybe Assembler F. But what was valuable was the concepts of what assembly language and machine programming is. -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Kreth, Gregory D Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 1:00 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: is Assembler dying? (was: CDW - Three new Mainframe Openings) [Some people who received this message don't often get email from [email protected]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] I don't personally know, so I asked Google: "is the assembler programming language still taught at colleges? If not, are there other places that assembler is taught?" The AI-generated answer: Yes, assembly language is still taught in most computer science and electrical engineering programs, typically within computer architecture or low-level programming courses. While few programmers use it daily, it remains essential for understanding CPU operations, memory management, and performance optimization. It is also taught for niche applications like embedded systems, device drivers, and cybersecurity (reverse engineering). Where Assembly Language is Taught: University CS/Engineering Degrees: Fundamental courses on computer organization or architecture often include assembly (e.g., x86, ARM, or MIPS) to explain how compilers translate high-level code. Community College Programs: Specific certificate or transfer programs may offer specialized, hands-on assembly courses. Online Resources & Communities: Dedicated online communities and, in some cases, hobbyist groups teach it for retro-computing (e.g., 6502 on NES) or specialized hardware. Specialized Training: Some technical training or workshops focus on low-level optimization for IoT devices or embedded systems. Why it is Still Taught: Understanding Fundamentals: It helps students visualize how hardware, such as the CPU and memory, actually operates. Performance Optimization: In scenarios requiring maximum speed or minimum code size, assembly is used. Reverse Engineering: Knowledge of assembly is crucial for security professionals analyzing malware or debugging complex systems. --Greg -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Farley, Peter Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 11:54 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: CDW - Three new Mainframe Openings Let’s not feed the troll any more please. He may or may not be correct in his diatribes, but it is not productive for us to continue this conversation. From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Eric Rossman Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 12:40 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: CDW - Three new Mainframe Openings Assembler is still worth learning and colleges do definitely still teach it. Maybe not as much, but definitely still taught. Anyone who claims otherwise is mistaken. How else would people create compilers? Latin, is another thing. English is about 1/3 from French, so that would be the language I would suggest. Eric Rossman --------------------------------- ICSF Security Architect z/OS Security --------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Dick Williams Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 11:57 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: CDW - Three new Mainframe Openings The 1 example proof. lol Almost zero colleges teach assembler. Because demand for that skill is shrinking and almost nonexistent. Maybe you guys should learn hieroglyphics. Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 11:53 AM, Jay Maynard <[email protected]> wrote: Tell that to our junior sysprog, who came out of NIU having learned assembler... On Tue, Feb 24, 2026 at 10:28 AM Dick Williams < [email protected]> wrote: > lol even the expert a couple of years ago said Assembler was dying. > Every fact says it’s dying. Schools don’t even teach it any more. > Almost zero job openings ask for it. But, you keep believing. SMH > On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 11:25 AM, Len Rugen < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > I remember the stares from the younger generation when I pulled out my > yellow 1976 System/370 reference card to show them the bit patterns of > 255.255.255.128 netmask :-) > Len Rugen > > rugenl at yahoo.com > > GPG Public Key > > > On Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 09:34:10 AM CST, Pommier, Rex < >[email protected]> wrote: > > This could easily be flipped the other way too. "I don't use it >therefore it isn't important". > > > > On 24 Feb 2026, at 16:00, Dick Williams < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > The “I use it so it must be important” syndrome. I would never > > recommend > learning it to anyone. A complete waste of time. Like learning Latin. > > > > > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > > > > > > On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 12:21 AM, Brian Westerman < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > Nope, I use it most every day at at least a few of the sites I manage. > > > > Unless you are at a totally vanilla shop, I think assembler is a > necessity. > > > > Brian -- This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. 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