Code Like It’s 198x

Status: Very early development - most features are planned rather than implemented

An incredibly ambitious project to create a comprehensive vintage computer programming education platform. The vision is to teach assembly programming for classic systems like the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Commodore Amiga through structured lessons and authentic development environments.

The Vision

The goal is to create a multi-phase learning platform where students progress through increasingly complex programming concepts:

• Phase 1: Foundational assembly programming (32 lessons per system)
• Phases 2-8: Advanced topics, optimization, and specialized techniques
• Interactive lessons with real code examples
• Docker-based development environments with authentic assemblers
• Emulator integration for testing programs
• Historical context and timeline exploration

Current Status

While the project has an ambitious scope, we’re still in the very early stages:

• ✅ Basic project structure and development environment setup
• ✅ Initial lesson framework for 4 vintage computer systems
• ✅ Docker containers with period-appropriate assemblers
• 🚧 Lesson content creation (ongoing)
• 📋 Interactive features (planned)
• 📋 Timeline and historical content (planned)
• 📋 Professional development environment packaging (planned)

Why This Project Matters

Modern programming abstracts away the fundamental concepts that shaped computing. By learning to program vintage computers with severe resource constraints, developers gain:

• Deep understanding of how computers actually work
• Optimization skills that translate to modern embedded/mobile development
• Appreciation for the creative problem-solving that built the digital world
• Historical perspective on the evolution of computing

Technical Approach

The platform uses modern tools to teach retro programming:

• Astro for the static site generator
• Docker containers with authentic assemblers (CA65, SjASMPlus, VASM, NESASM)
• VS Code integration for familiar development experience
• Authentic emulators for testing and debugging
• Structured content collections for lesson management

Collaboration

This project is being developed with significant assistance from Claude AI. The scope is massive and the technical challenges are substantial, but that’s what makes it exciting. The AI collaboration has been essential for maintaining momentum on such an ambitious undertaking.

Note: This project represents a long-term vision and is in very early development stages. Most features described are planned rather than implemented.