I must agree with Peter about the 8051.

I started using the 6502 and then 6802 for my own designs, before moving on to the 68HC11 as the basis for a University project. While doing this course a fellow student (and a very good friend now) tried for some time (in vain) I may add to convert me to the 8051, many an argument (discussion) was held in the pub on the merits or otherwise of the respective micros.

However one day with some time on my hands I connected up a 8051 +latch+ erom and a LCD display, and the rest is as they say history.

I really liked the bit manipulation, I/O port design (I now prefer this over the motorola approach), I grant you that the MOVX is not the most user friendly instruction but once mastered its not that difficult.

Add this to the wide variety of 8051 variants about and why choose anything else, unless of course it's not powerful enough. My workplace uses 68000 variants (telecommunications equipment) although even some of the earlier designs used 8031's!!

Ans as a final note, I've always hated the Z80.

Rich