# CP/M

> operating system

**Wikidata**: [Q219528](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q219528)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CP/M)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cp-m

## Summary
CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers) is an early operating system created by Gary Kildall in 1974 for Intel 8080-based microcomputers. It became the dominant operating system for personal computers in the late 1970s and early 1980s before being displaced by MS-DOS.

## Key Facts
- Created by Gary Kildall in 1974
- Latest version 3.1 released in 1983
- Licensed under BSD licenses
- Runs on Intel 8080, Intel 8085, Zilog Z80, Zilog Z8000, Intel 8086, and Motorola 68000 processors
- Developed by Digital Research
- Has 45 Wikipedia language editions
- Distributed on 5¼-inch floppy disks
- Derivative works include MP/M, MicroDOS, CP/J, Mikros, and OS 703

## FAQs
### Q: What does CP/M stand for?
A: CP/M stands for Control Program for Microcomputers, though it was also known as Control Program/Monitor.

### Q: Who created CP/M and when?
A: Gary Kildall created CP/M in 1974 while working at Digital Research.

### Q: What processors does CP/M support?
A: CP/M runs on Intel 8080, Intel 8085, Zilog Z80, Zilog Z8000, Intel 8086, and Motorola 68000 processors.

## Why It Matters
CP/M was the first widely successful operating system for microcomputers, establishing many conventions that later operating systems would follow. It provided a standardized software platform that allowed applications to run across different hardware configurations, which was revolutionary at a time when most software was tied to specific hardware. CP/M's success helped establish Digital Research as a major software company and created the market for third-party operating systems. Its file system and command structure influenced later systems, and its business model of licensing to multiple hardware manufacturers became the standard approach for PC operating systems. Though eventually displaced by MS-DOS, CP/M's impact on the personal computer industry was foundational.

## Notable For
- First commercially successful operating system for microcomputers
- Created the model of operating system licensing to multiple hardware manufacturers
- Influenced the design of MS-DOS and subsequent PC operating systems
- Supported a wide range of hardware platforms through processor abstraction
- Established the concept of a standardized software platform for personal computers

## Body
### Development and History
CP/M was developed by Gary Kildall in 1974 as a simple operating system for Intel 8080-based microcomputers. Kildall created it while working as a computer science instructor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. The operating system was initially written in PL/M, a high-level programming language also developed by Kildall for Intel microprocessors.

### Technical Architecture
CP/M provided a command-line interface and a simple file system with support for 8-bit and later 16-bit processors. It included a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) that allowed the same operating system to run on different hardware configurations by providing a standardized interface between the OS and hardware. The system supported up to 16 MB of storage and included a simple command interpreter.

### Market Impact
By the late 1970s, CP/M had become the dominant operating system for business and personal microcomputers, running on systems from companies like Osborne, Kaypro, and others. It established the concept of a software ecosystem where applications could be developed for a single operating system rather than specific hardware platforms. The success of CP/M led to the development of MP/M, a multi-user version, and later CP/M-86 for Intel 8086 processors.

### Competition and Decline
CP/M faced increasing competition in the early 1980s, particularly from MS-DOS, which was created after IBM approached Digital Research for an operating system but ultimately licensed from Microsoft instead. The failure to secure the IBM PC contract marked the beginning of CP/M's decline, as MS-DOS became the standard for IBM-compatible computers. By the mid-1980s, CP/M had been largely displaced in the mainstream market.

### Legacy
Despite its decline, CP/M's influence continued through its impact on MS-DOS and subsequent operating systems. Many of its design concepts, including the use of a command-line interface, file system structure, and the separation of hardware abstraction through BIOS, influenced later operating systems. The operating system remains in use in embedded systems and is preserved through emulation and hobbyist communities.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "CP/M",
  "description": "Early operating system for microcomputers created by Gary Kildall in 1974",
  "url": "http://www.digitalresearch.biz/CPM.HTM",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Gary Kildall"
  },
  "operatingSystem": [
    "Intel 8080",
    "Intel 8085",
    "Zilog Z80",
    "Zilog Z8000",
    "Intel 8086",
    "Motorola 68000"
  ],
  "applicationCategory": "OperatingSystem",
  "license": "BSD licenses",
  "datePublished": "1974",
  "version": "3.1"
}

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013