The Motorola 68000 and 68020 microprocessor chips are addressed in this book. It covers the software via examination of the instruction set, the hardware by examining the connections to the microprocessor, and the interfacing by demonstrating designs for connecting memory, both ROM and RAM, and interface chips, both 8-bit (6821) and 16-bit (68230), to the 68000 microprocessor chip. Almost by necessity, this book is packed with data, since so much is covered. This leaves little room for extended examples or alternate approaches, particularly in the software  descriptions. 

The text uses the Motorola MC68000 Educational Microcomputer as a teaching vehicle for the suggested laboratory exercises. It also examines its design in detail as an example of a 68000 computer system.

The typical chapter has an introduction that contains a bulleted list of topics, sections discussing each topic with examples of software or timing diagrams and hardware schematics as appropriate, and a list of exercises for each section in the chapter.

The 68000 is covered in the first eight chapters as the base member of this family of microprocessors. The software architecture (the user-visible register set) is covered in the first chapter. The programming of the 68000 is covered in the next two chapters. This is broken into straight-line code, such as arithmetic and movement instructions, and flow of control, such as conditional branches and subroutines.

The fourth chapter assumes the reader has an MC68000 Educational Microcomputer. The command set of this device is explained so the user may enter, execute, and debug programs written in assembly language. The next chapter deals with connecting additional hardware to the 68000. It includes the system memory interface for both ROM and RAM; parallel input and output (I/O) with 8-bit peripherals using the 6820 and 16-bit I/O using the 68230; and serial interfacing using the 6850. Each interface area has the associated timing constraints explained, and the commands to the interface chips are handled in detail.

Chapter 6 discusses the exception processing (interrupts) of the 68000. The general interface, timing, and priority scheme are explained for externally generated interrupts. The internally generated exceptions are also considered. The example of a complete microcomputer system is the MC68000 Educational Microcomputer. The actual device is not needed, since all the relevant schematics are reproduced. Each portion of the schematic is examined with reference to the previous sections of the chapters.

The 68020 is treated in two chapters covering the software and hardware. In both cases, the differences between the 68000 and 68020 are highlighted. One chapter covers the additions to the software architecture, such as additional addressing modes and instructions, while the other chapter concentrates on the hardware changes, such as bus timing.

A set of suggested laboratory exercises for the Educational Microcomputer is included, as are a short bibliography and answers to selected end-of-chapter problems.

The book is intended for electrical engineering students at universities and technical colleges. It contains sufficient information on the design of the hardware, but could use more examples of software.