from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
Control Program for Microcomputers
CPM
CP/M
<operating system> (CP/M) An early {microcomputer} {operating
system} written by Gary Kildall of {Digital Research} for
{8080} and {Zilog Z80}-based 8-bit computers. CP/M was very
popular in the late 1970s but was virtually wiped out by
{MS-DOS} after the release of the {IBM PC} in 1981.
Many of CP/M's features and conventions strongly resemble
those of early {DEC} operating systems such as {TOPS-10},
{OS/8}, {RSTS} and {RSX-11}.
CP/M might have been the {OS} for the {IBM PC} instead of
{MS-DOS} but Kildall wanted to keep control of his creation
and only license it to IBM. Big Blue however wanted to own
and control it completely. Kildall spent the day IBM's reps
wanted to meet him enjoying the perfect flying weather in his
private plane.
[Did CP/M use the same {FAT} file system as MS-DOS?]
(1996-01-07)