cem@intelca.UUCP (Chuck McManis) (12/12/84)
I think the ideal CP/M environment is slowly but surely taking form.
Of course the feeling is subjective and wouldn't appeal to everybody
but then again it would be flexible enough to change.
The O/S would be of course CP/M, or possibly ZRDOS, from the people
who brought you ZCPR3. ZCPR3 of course, and the following tools
(in addition to the ones ZCPR3 supplies)
SLR Systems Assembler and Linker.
This is certainly the fastest assembler/linker around with the most
compatibility with other software vendors (aka uSoft and DRI)
Borland Turbo Pascal and Modula 2
With these two languages you can write most if not all of your utilities
and applications. Would be nice if Borland would agree to use the TCAP
that ZCPR3 provides as a reference. Making installation much simpler.
Eco - C
This is quite excellent for those tasks that are between assembler and
a HLL. Some would have it be used exclusively, I prefer the portability
of the Borland products to MS-DOS machines.
An Editor
Coming originally from TOPS-20 I found Mince/Scribble to provide 90%
of all of the things (besides programming) that I did in a TOPS environment
with a RAM disk the swapping that Mince does is not a problem, As for
scribble I would prefer additional capabilities to be specified for the
printer (eg why can't I use a start superscript, end superscript seq
other than the Epson half linefeed or something a Diablo uses)
The Editor is of course the most prone to personal preference, many
people I know use Wordstar for both editing and formatting.
With the above tools and the ZCPR series of tools a CP/M system becomes
a lot less aggravating to use and even fun for those of us who program
recreationally. I have waxed and waned over the future of CP/M often in
my thoughts on the future of microcomputers, I think it has a chance to
become quite a tool. Where else can someone get what 10 years ago existed
only on a $60,000 mini for $1500.
Comments are appreciated, random flames are not.
--Chuck
--
- - - D I S C L A I M E R - - -
{ihnp4,fortune}!dual\ All opinions expressed herein are my
{qantel,idi}-> !intelca!cem own and not those of my employer, my
{ucbvax,hao}!hplabs/ friends, or my avocado plant. :-}gbs@voder.UUCP (George Smith) (12/14/84)
> CP/M > ZCPR3 > SLR Systems Assembler and Linker. > Borland Turbo Pascal and Modula 2 > Eco - C > An Editor > > .... I have waxed and waned over the future of CP/M often in > my thoughts on the future of microcomputers, I think it has a chance to > become quite a tool.... > > Comments are appreciated, random flames are not. > > --Chuck A very interesting article since I have wondered often about the future of CP/M-80 machines (I own a North Star Horizon). I agree with your comments about Borland's Turbo Pascal (I haven't seen their Modula-2 yet). I think it is the best value in software available for microcomputers. However, the address space limitations in the 8080/Z80 limit the size of programs too much; the MS-DOS/PC-DOS environment allows much bigger (read sophisticated) programs with Turbo. I use Turbo on my CP/M system at home to enter and debug individual routines and then port them to the IBM PC at work where I integrate them with the rest of the larger body of code. Another point you made about the cost: since the software you outlined costs about $1000, the figure your mentioned ($1500) for the whole machine (?) is too low. To include nice features like RAM disks, 6 MHZ CPUs, hard disks, etc brings the cost way up. That's why I don't think that CP/M systems can compete with IBM PC systems - PCs are just so cheap now. -- George B. Smith National Semiconductor ...!{ihnp4!nsc | decvax!decwrl!nsc | ucbvax}!voder!gbs
POURNE@Mit-Mc.ARPA (12/16/84)
needs something like Sidekick. Otherwise, fine choices.
POURNE@Mit-Mc.ARPA (12/16/84)
actually, we are planning to sue your avocado plant. Software toolwoorks.