> 1. I had worked with Z80 a long time ago. I liked it. Is Z8E architecture
> similar to Z80 or how great is the difference?

Entirely different. You wouldn't guess they were made by the same company.
All Z8 regs (over 120 of them usually) are equal, you want a 16 bit
word/pointer? grab any pair. All instrs can operate on all regs. (IIRC there
might have been the very odd exception, but I don't think so)


> 2. The Z80 ran only with external memory, i. e. it was a true uP. Have its
> successors some on-board (EEP)ROM, which is desirable to have code
> protection facility?

On board rom for code, and you can't execute from ram/regs. If you code
protect however, then you give up the ability to read the rom. (No
retlw-equivalents)