First Microcomputer OS: CP/M - Computerphile

TL;DR

CP/M was the first operating system for microcomputers, but it lost its dominance to DOS due to market forces and business decisions.

Transcript

today i thought we'd go over cpm the very first operating system for micro computers quite a significant thing history wise but why don't we use it today is it a bit like dos it is it is a lot like dos i would use the analogy of its beat of x whereas dots is vhs for our younger viewers vhs and betamax are types of videotape sometimes not necessaril... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤶 CP/M was a groundbreaking operating system that standardized microcomputers, except for hardware-specific components.
• 👻 Gary Kildel, the creator of CP/M, missed the opportunity to supply an operating system to IBM, allowing Microsoft to offer DOS instead.
• 😮 IBM's decision to support DOS over CP/M played a significant role in the rise of DOS as the dominant operating system.
• 😘 CP/M's decline was driven by market forces, as DOS became more widely adopted due to its lower cost.
• 👨‍💻 CP/M's legacy can still be found in modern operating systems, as some of its code is present in DOS.
• 😚 Gary Kildel's bitterness towards the situation and personal struggles after losing out to IBM and Microsoft impacted his life negatively.
• 💨 DOS eventually became the standard operating system, paving the way for the dominance of Windows-based machines.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did CP/M standardize microcomputers?

CP/M allowed for compatibility across different machines, with only the hardware-specific BIOS being unique. This enabled software written for CP/M to run on any machine that supported it.

Q: What led to CP/M's decline in popularity?

Market forces and business decisions played a role. IBM chose Microsoft's PC DOS over CP/M for their microcomputers, resulting in widespread adoption of DOS. Additionally, CP/M's creator, Gary Kildel, missed the opportunity to supply an operating system to IBM.

Q: Did Microsoft copy CP/M to create DOS?

In 2002, it was decided in court that there were similarities and portions of code taken directly from CP/M for DOS. However, subtle changes were made to avoid direct copying. Some of CP/M's code can still be found in modern versions of DOS.

Q: What impact did the IBM-CP/M rivalry have on the market?

CP/M initially had a strong foothold in the microcomputer market, but the decision by IBM to support DOS instead of CP/M led to DOS becoming the dominant operating system. This significantly shaped the future of personal computing.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• CP/M was created by Gary Kildel as the first operating system for microcomputers, allowing standardization across different machines.

• IBM approached Microsoft and Digital Research (CP/M's creator) to supply an operating system for their microcomputer. Digital Research missed the opportunity due to a miscommunication.

• Microsoft found a suitable operating system and offered it to IBM, resulting in the creation of PC DOS, which eventually overshadowed CP/M.