Hi jack,

it depends from your application.

And the 8051 was really the greatest in:
1. bit manipulation,
2. direct access to 128 byte data RAM
3. 4 register sets for easy interrupt handler implementation

And these all needed in 99% of micro applications.


Yes, it need some time to discover all the niceties
of the 8051.
And then you can understand, why MOVX instructions so
awkward, since they are needed only rarely or never
in most applications.


I started also with the Z80.
But then I found the 8051 with SIO, CTC, PIO, RAM,
ROM (now Flash) and crystal oszillator always included.

Now I think, some new Z80 include it also, but never
in a nice 20 pin case.


Also if it should occur, that I need above 64kB code space,
I think, I can nice upgrade to the 251.


Peter