CP/M
CP/M is a discontinued command line operating system developed by Digital Research to handle file and program operation for microcomputers. It was first released in 1974 for Intel 8080-based computers and was written in PL/M and Intel Assembly with subsequent versions released for other 8-bit and 16-bit CPUs. The name originally stood for "Control Program/Monitor," but was later changed to "Control Program for Microcomputers." The disk operating system included various ways to list files and their contents, navigate drives, and run programs.
CP/M was initially quite popular for businesses and versions were released for a variety of different home computer platforms of the time. Digital Research was working on a new version of CP/M for the Intel 8086 processor, CP/M-86, when IBM contacted them to use it as the default operating system for their upcoming IBM Personal Computer. The deal fell through and IBM eventually went with Microsoft's MS-DOS for the PC's 1981 release, which resulted in a lawsuit from Digital Research as MS-DOS was very similar to CP/M. As part of the lawsuit, IBM had to offer CP/M-86 as an optional OS for their PC, but most users went with MS-DOS. As IBM dominated the home computer market in the USA, MS-DOS quickly became the most prominent home OS along with it, and CP/M decreased in relevancy. Digital Research tried recapture the market with a variety of updated versions, most of which were initially superior to MS-DOS, but Microsoft would always adopt the bulk of the new CP/M features and CP/M couldn't maintain its lead. The last version of CP/M was released in 1983. Digital Research used one of the last versions of its OS, the CPM/86-derived Concurrent DOS, and turned it into DR-DOS in 1988, which was later purchased by Novell.
Ports of CP/M were designed for the following CPUs: Intel 8080, Intel 8085, Intel 8086, Motorola 68000, Zilog Z80, and Zilog Z8000. With this wide range of CPU support, CP/M was able to run on hundreds of micro computers, though they sometimes required additional hardware, including the following: Adam, Altair 8800, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Apple III, Atari 8-bit, BBC Micro, BBC Master, Compaq Portable, Commodore 64, Commodore 128, Fujitsu FM-7, IBM Personal Computer, Kaypro, MSX, Ohio Scientific, Osborne 1, PC-8000, SAM Coupé, Sharp MZ, Sharp X1, Sorcerer, Sord M5, Spectravideo, TI-99/4A, TRS-80 Model 4, TRS-80 Model 100, and ZX Spectrum +3.
Contents
Personal
Because CP/M was designed primarily for business, and because it was already obsolete by the time I started using computers, I don't think I ever used a computer with CP/M. I've only every played around with the OS using emulators.
Software
The following is software developed for CP/M that is important to me.
Games
- See all CP/M Games.
Review
I don't know enough about CP/M to review it.
Links
