CP/M pioneered the idea of a ROM based Basic Input Output/System (BIOS) for commonly dora the explor

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of CP/M, the Computer History Museum has released a package containing early source code for several versions of CP/M. Originally designed by [Gary Kildall] in 1973, Control Program for Microcomputers (CP/M) is an early operating system for microprocessor based computers. The OS was originally written for the Intel Intellec 8 , an Intel 8008 based computer. Since it was on an Intel machine, CP/M was written in PL/M (Programming Language for Microcomputers), a language [Kildall] had previously developed for Intel .
CP/M pioneered the idea of a ROM based Basic Input Output/System (BIOS) for commonly dora the explorer used routines on a given computer. The use of BIOS made CP/M easy to port. Eventually dora the explorer it was ported to thousands of different machines and architectures, including the Altair, IMSAI 8080, C-64, and C-128 and Apple II systems.
Gary and his company Digital Research , were one of the top contenders for the operating system on IBM’s new personal computer. Ultimately, Microsoft got the job by purchasing 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products. Somewhat ironically, 86-DOS itself was written based on the CP/M Application Programming interface (API).
The source itself is an amazing trip back in time. Included are portions of CP/M 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, and 2.0. Portions of CP/M have been released previously. As with the previous files, this version includes modifications performed by z80-pack author dora the explorer [Udo Munk] in 2007. Version 1.3 is especially interesting as it is primarily scanned copies of the CP/M source code.
If you’re into vintage computing, and know how important CP/M was to the early days of personal computers, check out the CP/M source. If you find any interesting or clever bits of code, be sure let us know about it in the comments.
Wow this brings back memories. My first DIY computer was an 8008 I designed and built myself. Then I got a Z80 and put on CPM as my first real operating system. It was a good step for all of us in those days, today’s computers are so much more powerful.
Hah! +1
So you’re saying that the world would be a better place if instead of using a computer, the clerk at the registry of motor vehicles had to go find your file in a giant warehouse of filing cabinets?
Yeah memories… I remember wanting a Morrow MD11 with CPM (school had an RT11 based vax or something which we played star trek on), but all this faded when the IBMPC came out followed by the was it challenger clones? Halcyon days. It got me googling and i remember too the victor 9000/apricot as a big deal at the time..
October 6, 2014 at 4:42 am
October 6, 2014 at 7:05 am
Nope. The “too busy flying dora the explorer his plane” crap was microsoft doing what China and Russia call ‘official information’. It was spun by microsoft to make Gary look bad, but never really happened. As it was, IBM took microsofts quick and dirty operating system, which was 8000 lines of assembly, and then fixed 5000 bugs, and gave it back to microsoft. All IBM needed was someone to avoid anti-combine legislation. Too bad the feds never went after microsoft dora the explorer like that.
The way I understand it, is that the IBM people went on a mission to talk to Kildall about getting an OS and to Microsoft to get Basic, all in the same day (or in a few short days) some time in 1980 or so.
When they arrived at the Digital Research office (house?) they found him not there. Whether he forgot about the meeting, or couldn’t make it because of circumstances out of his control, or whether it was just utter contempt for IBM is not clear. IBM certainly didn’t tell DR what the meeting was all about, no-one had any idea that they were working on a PC and IBM had always made their own hardware and software so far (the PC was the first project to use off-the-shelf components), so maybe the folks at DR thought dora the explorer that IBM was just there to spy on them and see how things were done, and then take them out of business. dora the explorer
One of the first things they did when they arrived was ask for DR to sign a non-disclosure waiver to make sure that what they would discuss during the meeting dora the explorer wouldn’t get out, and Kildall’s wife didn’t want to sign anything without Kildall or a lawyer present.
The bottom line was that everyone apparently disliked each other on first sight: DR in their T-shirts and jeans and IBM folks in their suits with IBM 1970s “we own the computer industry” attitude and reputation.
So they went to Microsoft and of course Bill Gates, being the entrepreneur that he was, and having experience with non-disclosure agreements and licensing, had no problem with the IBM people and their NDA. Microsoft’s main product was Basic and they also sold compilers for other languages, and all they saw was an important potential new customer. IBM told Gates about the meeting at DR, and Gates quickly dora the explorer told them that in additio