[tmpmov]

The book reasons that learning assembly also teaches the fundamentals of computer architecture.

1.3.1 Gain a Better Understanding of Architecture Issues 1.3.1 Understanding the Tool Chain 1.3.1 Improve Algorithm Development Skills 1.3.1 Improves Understanding of Functions/Procedures 1.3.1 Gain an Understanding of I/O Buffering 1.3.1 Understand Compiler Scope 1.3.1 Introduction to Multi-processing Concepts 1.3.1 Introduction to Interrupt Processing Concepts

The book uses the 1.3.1 heading for each and I'm too lazy to change them.

Reasons to (maybe/arguably) write assembly:

1) You're bringing up a new board, your bootloader is partially written but you need some customization for the real-time OS you're using. It can be advantageous to do this in assembly 2) You're dealing with some particularly old hardware and (ab)using it for some commercial purpose

Of course, I can imagine that for each you'll have someone obstinately state there's no need to use assembly because of some gcc feature. More than one way to get things done, and most use the tools they're comfortable with.