That was how I wrote my first published game back in the 80's. I have no complaints. Everything was new back then and even though the "wheel hadn't yet been invented", programming was still exciting and it was some of the most fun coding I have ever done.

Actually it does. That's how we track down compiler bugs, and also how we backtrack from crash location to look for the cause when we have a core from an optimised build.

Back then it was actually easier to read through large amounts of code, flipping between different sections, etc when it was on paper.

The listing wasn't used for paper and pencil emulation, we had quite nice integrated editors and debuggers to see what was going on (ex. the LISA 6502 assembler). The listings were for reading and understanding. These lists were used somewhat like tablets today. You can take the listing anywhere, flop down on the couch and start reading, ...

Reading 6502 assembly is easier than reading some of today's bloated and convoluted Java/Perl/FP/what-have-you code. It's not like the assemblies of modern CPUs with OOE, branch predictions, and all such complexities.

Also, from a technical perspective, publishing source for 6502 machine code wasn't that big a deal. You could recreate a reasonable assembly source from the machine code by spending some time with reverse assembler (unless the code does goofy things like writing over its code and such). In fact, Apple II monitor code had a nifty reverse assembler built in.

Yes, but possibly in spite of, rather then because of, Atari themselves. According to the book "Hackers" by Steven Levy, the Atari 800 was treated as a closed platform in the early days, and Atari wouldn't divulge documentation on its inner workings;

Of course, it's true that all this stuff was *later* very well-documented, but how much Atari helped in that is open to question (*). It's certainly well-known that Atari were assholes in general in their late-70s/early-80s heyday, and they definitely tried to suppress third-party development of VCS games. So though I've heard enough people disputing aspects of "Hackers" not to take it as gospel, it does seem to tie in with what I've heard about Atari at the time.

The Atari DOS [atariarchives.org] book doesn't appear to have been published by Atari themselves, and whether it was with their blessing, I don't know. "Mapping the Atari" wasn't an official publication either.

While Atari released documentation, I suspect it was at the level *they* wanted people to be using the machine at. And for all their plus points, the 400 and 800 were clearly intended as more closed, consumer-oriented machines. The 800 did have some good expansion capabilities, but this was clearly meant to be done via its official ports and interfaces designed for that use. The lower-end version, the Atari 400 had far less official expansion capability, e.g. it was never originally designed to support RAM expansion- it was possible, but apparently required far less friendly hardware modifications and installation directly onto the motherboard.

The 1200XL was notoriously even more closed (and flopped massively). FWIW, the BASIC "manual" that came with my 800XL was a paltry pamphlet, and the official DOS 3 manual was nicely-presented, but certainly not deep.

Of course, it all worked out in the end, but I guess what I'm saying is that let's not romanticise the original intentions of companies like Atari back then, who'd have been happy to sit on those secrets and not release them to their users (who they viewed as potential competition).

(*) Those early days (1979 onwards) were before my time- I got my 800XL in 1986, so I can't speak from personal experience.

", I just wish there was a popular 8-bit machine out there for the young'ns to get them started.
That's like saying people need to learn to drive on a model T.

My kids had no problem getting started on modern hardware.

8 bits and popular, designed to get people started.
http://www.arduino.cc/ [arduino.cc]