[the_real_bto]

Expectations are really important. I tend towards higher level languages (Python, JavaScript, toyed with Haskell), but I can empathize with the author's frustration of using a tool that breaks his assumptions.

Software is complicated business, and making new things that work similar to old things is a reasonable (and often successful) way to deal with the complexity. However, if it isn't close enough to the original, it might cause more problems, as it did for the author when he was using this not quite real assembly language.

I really hope that some knowledgeable HNers will weigh in on this, it is fascinating to read about.