...interesting...
...when I recall that all my programming on the 1982 Sinclair Spectrum, (Timex in the USA), 48K Computer was always written in Zilog Z80 Machine Code, (Assembly Language), accessing the Central Processor in the interests of speed!
Z80A Clock speed: 3.5 MHz/s.
Happy, far-off days!....

...
The mind boggles thinking about programming the modern MS Flight Sims, Computer Games, etc, in pure Machine Code!....

...!
...how times have changed!...

..!
Paul......Speccy Enthusiast!....

...!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog
Win 8.1 64-bit. DX11. Advent Tower. Intel i7-3770 3.9 GHz 8-core. 8 GB System RAM. AMD Radeon HD 7700 1GB RAM. DVD ROM. 2 Terra Byte SATA Hard Drive. Philips 17" LCD Monitor. Saitek Cyborg X Fly-5 Joystick. ...and a Briggs and Stratton Petrol Lawn Mower.