ESP

This defines a stack for the program of 1000h bytes (or 4096 bytes). There really is not a need to initialize the stack, unless you want it to show up on a memory dump.

ESP is the stack pointer, which points at the other end of the stack and moves towards the base stack register when things are added to the stack.

Generally, though, you shouldn't have much (not any, though, there is a case or two I know of) need for touching the stack pointer or the stack base pointer. The stack is generally considered for temporary storage, has rules for how it is handled (FIFO), and instructions for handling it (PUSH, POP among others). So there isn't that much to worry about unless you need to do what is required in that case or two I mentioned.

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Measurement is not management.

Thank you for the answer. Something in my reading was confusing, but I did have the right answer.

Thanks again.