CP/M facts for kids
A screenshot of CP/M-80.
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| Company / developer | Digital Research, Inc. / Gary Kildall |
|---|---|
| Programmed in | PL/M |
| Working state | Historic |
| Source model | Originally closed source, now open source |
| Latest stable release | 3.1 / 1983 |
| Available programming languages(s) | Assembly language, BASIC, Modula-2, Pascal etc. |
| Supported platforms | Intel 8080, Intel 8085, Zilog Z80, Intel 8086, Motorola 68000 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic kernel |
| Default user interface | Command line interface |
| License | Originally proprietary, now BSD-like |
| Official website | Digital Research official CP/M page: http://www.digitalresearch.biz/CPM.HTM |
CP/M stands for Control Program for Microcomputers. It was an important operating system used on computers in the 1970s and early 1980s. Think of an operating system like the main program that runs your computer. It helps all the parts work together. CP/M was one of the first operating systems for personal computers. It was created by Digital Research, Inc. and Gary Kildall.
When CP/M first came out, computers had very little memory. CP/M could work with only up to 64 kilobytes (KB) of memory. To use it, you typed commands into the computer. This is called a command-line interface. CP/M was very popular before MS-DOS became widely used.
Contents
What is CP/M?
CP/M was like the brain for many early personal computers. It managed how the computer stored files and ran programs. It was designed for computers using Intel 8080, Intel 8085, and Zilog Z80 processors. These were common computer chips back then.
How CP/M Worked
CP/M used a command-line interface. This means you didn't click on icons with a mouse. Instead, you typed commands using the keyboard. For example, to see a list of files, you might type `DIR`. To run a program, you typed its name.
This way of working was normal for computers at the time. It was different from the graphical interfaces we use today.
Who Made CP/M?
CP/M was developed by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc.. He created it in 1974. It quickly became a standard for many different computer brands. This was important because it meant software could run on many machines.
Why Was CP/M Important?
CP/M was very important for the history of personal computers. It allowed many different computer makers to use the same operating system. This helped more software programs to be created. It also made it easier for people to learn how to use computers.
CP/M and MS-DOS
CP/M was very popular before MS-DOS came along. MS-DOS was the operating system used on early IBM PCs. MS-DOS was inspired by CP/M in many ways. It had similar commands and a similar look. This made it easier for people to switch from CP/M to MS-DOS.
Legacy of CP/M
Even though CP/M is not used much today, its ideas live on. It showed how an operating system could work on many different computers. It helped set the stage for modern operating systems. Today, CP/M is considered a historic operating system. It is now open source, meaning its code can be freely used and changed.
Images for kids
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CP/M advertisement in the 29 November 1982 issue of InfoWorld magazine
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Apple CP/M Card with manual
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CP/M Plus (CP/M 3) System Guide
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DEC PRO-CP/M-80 floppy-disk distribution for the Z80-A co-processor in a DEC Professional 3xx series
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Sanco 8001 computer, running under CP/M 2.2 (1982)
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CP/M cartridge for the Commodore 64
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Screenshot showing a CP/M 3.0 directory listing using the DIR command on a Commodore 128 home computer
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CP/M advertisement in the 11 December 1978, issue of InfoWorld magazine
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Distribution 5 1/4 inch diskettes and packaging for the last version (version 4) of WordStar word processing program released for 8-bit CP/M
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MBASIC text output displayed on a monochrome monitor typical for that time.
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CP/M derivate SCP running on an East German robotron PC 1715
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CP/J version 2.21 running on an Elwro 804 Junior
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See also
In Spanish: CP/M para niños
