[cbm-vic-20]

TAOCP is a product of its time. While the concepts are timeless, and as such still relevant today, MIX is similar to how many programmers built software back in the 1970s: with assembly code. If TAOCP was written today, it probably would use something else.

The good news is that, even though 1970s-era MIX assembly is much different than even modern assembly, it's pretty simple. The most confusing part is the field manipulation part of the instructions. Don't get hung up trying to memorize all of the instructions; take a look at the examples in the text, which are commented to say what they are actually doing.

My strategy when reading TAOCP: if I get stuck, move on to the next section, and come back to it later when I've had time to sleep on it...