This file will grow as we go along.

For a short refresher on x86 assembly & 32bit calling convention:
tiny-guide-to-x86-assembly.pdf

For a longer intro to the archichecture and assembly:
solaris-on-x86.pdf, 
Sections 2.1, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3 for calling conventions and ABI.

An excellent summary of x86 memory system:
http://duartes.org/gustavo/blog/post/memory-translation-and-segmentation

Segments and "privilige rings" (a.k.a. "which bits & where we set to trigger
a trap when a piece of code reads/writes data it is not supposed to access"):
solaris-on-x86.pdf,
Chapter 4, especially 4.1, 4.2.

The ultimate reference:
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/architectures-software-developer-manuals.html
in particular http://download.intel.com/products/processor/manual/325383.pdf
for instruction reference. For example, page 551 for all forms of the MOV
instruction, and its pseudocode on page 553, showing which segments are
implicitly involved, and where traps/faults will occur. Note the CPL vs DPL
checks: they are involved in kernel from userland separation.