Pdp-8/E Programming Systems

This document serves as an introductory guide to the programming fundamentals of the PDP-8/E computer. It covers the organization of core memory, detailing how the 4,096 available locations are addressed using an octal page-based system.

Key topics include:

• Memory Addressing: Explains the use of direct and indirect addressing, including the role of the Memory Address (MA) register and the significance of "Page 0" for storing pointers and commonly used operands.
• Instruction Handling: Details how the processor manages program flow, the function of the Program Counter (PC), and the mechanics of Memory Reference Instructions (MRI).
• Subroutines: Describes how to use the Jump to Subroutine (JMS) and Jump (JMP) instructions to modularize code, exit subroutines, and return control to the main program using indirect addressing.
• Arithmetic Operations: Introduces the Two's Complement Add (TAD) instruction and the principles of two's complement arithmetic used by the system for mathematical operations.