(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.