[mordechai9000]

This triggers a vague memory of trying to figure out why my assembler (masm?) was outputting a LEA instead of a MOV. I can't remember why. Maybe LEA was more efficient, or MOV didn't really support the addressing mode and the assembler just quietly fixed it for you.

In any case, I felt slightly betrayed by the assembler for silently outputting something I didn't tell it to.

[HarHarVeryFunny]

LEA and MOV are doing different things. LEA is just calculating the effective address, but MOV calculates the address then retrieves the value stored at that address.

e.g. If base + (index * scale) + offset = 42, and the value at address 42 is 3, then:

LEA rax, [base + index * scale + offset] will set rax = 42

MOV rax, [base + index * scale + offset] will set rax = 3

[dataflow]

I assumed they're referring to register-register moves?

[HarHarVeryFunny]

OK, so:

LEA eax, [ebx]

instead of:

MOV eax, ebx

But of course:

MOV eax, [ebx]

is not the same.