Just like the first mainframe computers, the first microcomputers had no language, either. They had too little memory to support any software, so they were programmed in machine language by setting front-panel switches. Micros that had no front panel (like the Southwest Technical Products M6800) were programmed in assembly language through the use of a monitor program contained in ROM. The monitor chip also had a mini-compiler to translate programs into machine language.

Once the thrill of having actually built a working computer wore off, the computer hobbyists wanted to do something with their machines. Soon 2K and 4K memory boards became available, and with them, the possibility of using