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The meaning of CP/M

Unfortunately, all I have to go by these days are my old books, (which are too few, and woefully inadequate) and daNet, which may or not be accurate. Even books written at the time are subject to inaccurcies, etc. I'm reminded of how I first "met" Todd Fischer, and drew him out of obscurity and into the vanguard of modern computer development. I had carefully typed-in a paragraph from one of my books in response to someone's question in comp.os.cpm. Apparently, the passage was so blatantly inaccurate that it prompted Todd to post for the first time in the ng (he'd been lurking for awhile). His response wasn't actually a flame, he just pointed out the true facts in that case. I shot him an email thanking him for setting the record straight, and we continued to exchange email for a while, but I've since lost touch with him again.
My hierarchy of computer history goes:

1) Real people's actual memories
2) Contemporary resources (magazines, books, etc.)
3) Modern resources (including daNet)

...so I trust your memory more than even things written at the time. I'm glad that Erik has provided these forums so that you and others can share your memories before the real history disappears forever.

--T
 
Therein lies the art or is it science of technical forensic archeology where we dig at history and then validate that the bones we find are just not another carcas.

Collecting computers is manifold. We have the computers that are interesting in themselves. For many it's not how old or rare it's that they always wanted one to experiment with or use. For others its the story behind the box. Rareer still are those that want not only the machine but it's provenence as well to preserve.

In the end we are playing with history by aritifact , those computers chips and manuals or as an exploration by itself about what was. either way the one question reoccurs. WHY?

Then you have the wild cards like me. I collect all those I wished I could afford to have bought then or worked with then. I also have a thing for books manuals and data sheets. An undocumented item is both useless to me and a challenge.


Allison
 
Allison,

Do you ever scan any of those books & datasheets to make them available on daNet? That would be a great service, if you could find the time. An even greater service would be to put your memories down, and share them with all, both present and future (anyone can do datasheets, but you possess a real gift).

--T
 
Terry Yager said:
Allison,

Do you ever scan any of those books & datasheets to make them available on daNet? That would be a great service, if you could find the time. An even greater service would be to put your memories down, and share them with all, both present and future (anyone can do datasheets, but you possess a real gift).

--T
Click to expand...

Yes and no. I contributed to Tim Olmstead and he has scanned for the net. The rest no. The reason is very simple, no scanner. It doesn't help that PC wise most of the stuff I do on a PC is generally served well by a P166 NT4 box. I have a 1ghz celeron I plan to set up but really theres no real need for it and space is wanting for YASPC.

I also have another problem. If I had a scanner this room is fairly devoid of space to set one up. The only clear space is a workbench where I build and repair hardware. Imagine a 10x14 room and about 44 systems at last count contained in it and the closet.

Someday. However, even then it would likely be peicemeal as that much paper would take a long time.


Allison
 
Terry Yager said:
Imagine a 10x14 room and about 44 systems at last count contained in it and the closet.
Click to expand...

DEJA-VU! I think I've been in that room...

--T
Click to expand...

Been in eastern MA?

Part of the challenge is making access to systems such that I can easily power up a desired box.

Allison
 
No, when did they move my room there?
Horizontal space is always at a premium, and sometimes even the vertical space becomes in jeopardy too. You can only stack stuff so high, and still consider it accessible, without constantly moving stuff around from one stack to another to get at something near the bottom..

--T
 
Terry Yager said:
No, when did they move my room there?
Horizontal space is always at a premium, and sometimes even the vertical space becomes in jeopardy too. You can only stack stuff so high, and still consider it accessible, without constantly moving stuff around from one stack to another to get at something near the bottom..

--T
Click to expand...

Well between wall units, bookshelves I rarely see the walls. When you cover the floor to the limits of acceptable wlaking thats squaring out as in running out of square footage. When you cover the walls and the floor then you've cubed out. I'm currently cubed out.

I may add there is working storage in the attached garage and that's easily larger than the room cubicly. This summer I make a sealed
weather and vermin proof area in an external shed for more space.


Allison
 
Terry Yager said:
All this, and carpentry skills to boot! Artist, Scientist, Historian...you truly are a Renaisance Man.

--T
Click to expand...

Technically Renaisance WoMan... ;) Learned woodworking from my father
who was a carpenter.


Allison
 
Allison said:
Terry Yager said:
All this, and carpentry skills to boot! Artist, Scientist, Historian...you truly are a Renaisance Man.

--T
Click to expand...

Technically Renaisance WoMan... ;) Learned woodworking from my father
who was a carpenter.


Allison
Click to expand...

Oops! Sorry to make chauvanistic assumptions. (I know there's a difference in spelling, but I could never keep it straight which was which).

--T
 
Difference in spelling Allison or spelling renaissance - note the double s? :wink: Dictionary.com refers to renascence as an alternative spelling.

How about making walls out of computers instead of putting computers next to walls? Maybe that's the future, "intelligent" walls as well as intelligent refridgerators, door stops (see ZX Spectrum) and so on.
 
carlsson said:
Difference in spelling Allison or spelling renaissance - note the double s? :wink: Dictionary.com refers to renascence as an alternative spelling.
Click to expand...

Who me spell, only witches do that. ;)

Actually the spelling of my name is one of those that could be either.

carlsson said:
How about making walls out of computers instead of putting computers next to walls? Maybe that's the future, "intelligent" walls as well as intelligent refridgerators, door stops (see ZX Spectrum) and so on.
Click to expand...

It's been done. Read up about the TX2 computer. However, this idea of intelligent walls, I doubt that would work. Reason I have a cat and taking to her is like talking to a wall already. Oh, thats the other way around.

Allison
 
If you've ever read any of my past posts, you know that spelling isn't my long suit.
BTW, I've always wondered, why in ghawd's name would anyone buy a spell-checker that the programmer couldn't even spell the name of correctly? Even with it's obvious fault, SpelStar was one of the best selling programs of it's day. Go figger...

--T
 
I often been stymied for the name of CP/M. I just looked back at the hand-outs given when I was taking a digital course in the early 80s

It states that Kildall was introduced to the 8080 chip when he was working part-time for Intel. He proposed a high-level language called
PL/M (Programming Language for Microcomputers). PL/M was defined
as a subset of PL1 with more facilities. In 1973 Kildall proposed to develop the compiler in Fortran for the PDP-10. Fearing being ripped off and with
the blessing of Jim Warren, Kildall released CP/M 1.3 to the public for $70.00 . The rest is history. CP/M being the acrronym for Control Program/Monitor. It has become more popular to refer to it as Control
Program for Microcomputers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The relationship between PL/M and the CP/M name seems more a subterfuge to disassociate its origin and the name tailored to hide (loosely)
its inception, for copyright protection. The programmers of the time simply
called it in relation to PL/M.

That's my take on it in any case. But I'd imagine, programmers considered it a development of PL/M and would explain why Kildall was always vague about the name.
 
Micom 2000 said:
I often been stymied for the name of CP/M. I just looked back at the hand-outs given when I was taking a digital course in the early 80s

It states that Kildall was introduced to the 8080 chip when he was working part-time for Intel. He proposed a high-level language called
PL/M (Programming Language for Microcomputers). PL/M was defined
as a subset of PL1 with more facilities. In 1973 Kildall proposed to develop the compiler in Fortran for the PDP-10. Fearing being ripped off and with
the blessing of Jim Warren, Kildall released CP/M 1.3 to the public for $70.00 . The rest is history. CP/M being the acrronym for Control Program/Monitor. It has become more popular to refer to it as Control
Program for Microcomputers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The relationship between PL/M and the CP/M name seems more a subterfuge to disassociate its origin and the name tailored to hide (loosely)
its inception, for copyright protection. The programmers of the time simply
called it in relation to PL/M.

That's my take on it in any case. But I'd imagine, programmers considered it a development of PL/M and would explain why Kildall was always vague about the name.
Click to expand...

At that time the "/m" was usually meant "for microprocessors" and often were integer only or "slightly smaller" version of the language. However ,
PL/M was the native language that CP/M was written in. In that there is no crime or foul, it's commonly done in the C language every day. However the PL/M langiage was both a integer language and it's output was cross platform, the host being PDP-10 and the target being 8080.


CP/M 1.3 really came about then Intel didn't buy, it was targeted as a development system for 8080. Even though it was supposededly brought up on a probed die configuration (Read prototype 8080 raw chip). Intel had their own thing called ISIS.

In the end CP/M was the common non-Intel development tool for 8080 and later chips.

Allison
 
"Terry Yager" wrote:

> I don't believe the dispute will ever be settled, especially when
> the man who named it admitted that he couldn't remember what
> the letters stand for. Gary himself was said to have given
> different answers in different interviews.

Unfortunately it's a bit hard now to get any now since you can't come back from the dead. Maybe his Pushing IBM out the door might have some light to shed (particularly if she has a good memory - no I guess not!).

Cheers,
CP/M User.
 
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