In the warm glow of the MicroBasement, the 8080A BUGbook — formally titled Experiments in Microprocessor Applications: The 8080A Microprocessor — is a hands-on laboratory manual that brought the Intel 8080 microprocessor to life for students, hobbyists, and engineers. Published in 1977 by Howard W. Sams & Co. as part of the Blacksburg Continuing Education Series, this 336-page paperback provided 30 detailed experiments using the SDK-80 (or similar 8080-based kits) to teach architecture, instruction set, interfacing, and real-world applications. Co-authored by three Virginia Tech educators, it turned abstract microprocessor theory into solder-and-run reality. In the MicroBasement collection, the BUGbook sits proudly beside the 8080/8085 Software Design series, the 8085A Cookbook, and Titus family titles — a cornerstone of early microprocessor education that taught a generation how to make an 8080 actually do something useful.
Published in 1977 by Howard W. Sams & Co., the 8080A BUGbook was written by:
All three were professors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and key figures in the Blacksburg Continuing Education Series. Their collaboration produced some of the most respected lab-oriented microprocessor books of the era, with the BUGbook specifically designed as a companion to Intel's SDK-80 kit or equivalent 8080 hardware. It was aimed at college courses, self-learners, and hobbyists building their first microprocessor systems.
The book is organized around 30 experiments, each with objectives, background theory, circuit diagrams, parts lists, step-by-step procedures, data tables, and questions for analysis. It starts with basic 8080 operations (fetch/execute cycle, register transfers, arithmetic/logic instructions) and progresses to advanced topics: interrupts, timing loops, memory-mapped I/O, parallel and serial interfacing (8255 PPI, 8251 USART), analog-to-digital conversion, stepper motor control, keyboard/display interfacing (8279), and simple data acquisition systems. Experiments include building delay loops, binary counters, BCD adders, interrupt-driven systems, serial communication, and process-control simulations. Appendices provide 8080 instruction set summaries, pinouts, timing diagrams, and SDK-80 wiring details.
The BUGbook was built for the bench: every experiment used real hardware (SDK-80 or breadboarded 8080 systems), required minimal additional parts (TTL chips, switches, LEDs, resistors), and included assembly-language code listings for immediate testing. It emphasized debugging with oscilloscopes or logic probes, understanding timing waveforms, and troubleshooting common problems like bus contention or interrupt priority. The experiments were scalable — from simple LED blinkers to full interrupt-driven I/O handlers — making it ideal for self-study or classroom labs. Many hobbyists used it to learn the 8080 before moving to more complex projects like the Altair 8800 or homebrew controllers.
The 8080A BUGbook represents one of the critical turning points in microprocessor education. By providing 30 complete, verifiable experiments with real hardware and code, Rony, Larsen, and Titus gave students and hobbyists the hands-on experience needed to master the 8080 — the microprocessor that powered the Altair 8800 and launched the personal computer revolution. It influenced countless college courses, self-taught builders, and early embedded developers, helping bridge the gap from theory to working systems. Preserving and demonstrating this book is essential because it embodies the foundational efforts of educators and engineers who created the pathways for modern embedded systems and microprocessor design. In the MicroBasement, its well-used pages rest beside 8080 hardware, the 8080/8085 Software Design series, and Titus family titles — a quiet reminder that the best way to learn a microprocessor is to wire it up, run the code, and watch the lights blink in response.