Guides for Windows Assembler and an assembler compiler

Question

I would like to get into assembler, specifically Assembler for Windows. I would like to know what options I have for the compiler, and perhaps good guides that actually work (on Windows and the compiler) for basic or Win32 stuff.

Answer 1

Steve Gibson is an old hand programming for Windows in just assembler (aside from many other things including a TWiT podcast "Security Now!"). And for those wanting to start this development route, he's created a full sample with source code as well as several links to Internet resources. You might want to start there. On the page, search for the string "The Small Is Beautiful Starter Kit:" if you don't want to read the full page.

Answer 2

[I am not entirely certain what it is you actually want to know, your question not being overly specific, but I'm giving it a shot.]

There are quite a lot of useful pointers on Stackoverflow already if you check out older questions, e.g. here, here, here or (more generally) here. Many of the old Win32 tutorials in these links (including the famous tutorials by Iczelion) are still as valid as ever.

If your question is more about "which assembler should I use", I would think the stereotypical/most popular choice for Windows would be MASM (Microsoft's Macro Assembler), although other assemblers (e.g. NASM) are fine as well.

Note that a slightly less difficult/more comfortable start into Windows assembly might be not to start with a stand-alone assembler, but actually with a compiler of your favourite language that supports inline assembly, e.g. several C compilers or Delphi (which would be my personal favourite choice).