A computer is nothing without software, and the rosco_m68k is no exception. It's early days for us, but your new computer kit comes pre-loaded with a pair of ROMs containing our simple-but-lovingly-crafted serial bootloader firmware. 

This takes care of setting up the machine, and supports loading your own programs directly over the serial link using the standard Kermit protocol. It also provides a whole bunch of ready-made system calls that allow your programs to do basic input/output and interface with the computer.

So whether you want to hit the hardware with some m68k assembly, or you want to run a bit of C, there's a ready-to-go runtime for you to build on.

In a post-Moore's Law world, programmers can no longer rely on hiding increasing bloat behind ever-faster hardware, and the next generation of programmers will need to have a good understanding of how to do more with less. Whether you're an up-and-comer or an old salt, a better understanding of how a computer works is an incredibly valuable thing. Modern computers (even "simple" ones like the Raspberry Pi) make gaining that knowledge very difficult thanks to their complexity and a steep learning curve. Turning back the clock a few years can be a great way to separate the concepts of low-level and bare-metal programming from the insanity of setting up a modern machine. The M68K was one of the last machines to be designed for hand-made assembly programming, and is still one of the finest introductions you can get (in our opinion).