This introductory lab text provides experimental training on microcomputers, focuses on peripheral interfacing and controller design, and emphasizes the control of systems with software. It includes many examples drawn from actual applications, but is simplified to avoid requiring extensive background, special equipment, or long set-up times. It shows how microcomputers can perform tasks that are essential in responding to switches, controlling displays, encoding and decoding data, collecting and processing data, doing arithmetic, interfacing simple peripherals, timing and scheduling operations, and implementing serial communications based on Motorola's popular MC68000 Educational Computer Board (ECB).