Don&#x27;t start with the x86 or -64 architecture; there&#x27;s a lot of cruft in there due to backwards compatibility. Start with a simpler architecture like MIPS (see e.g., Sweetman&#x27;s &quot;See MIPS Run&quot; for an introduction), or the old 6800 chips (few extant examples in the wild not attached to old Macs -- unless you are willing to pay exorbitant prices because you&#x27;re maintaining an old weapons system -- but there are some wonderful out-of-print textbooks that are great reads).