(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-DOSBut 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)