PL/M

PL/M, which stands for Programming Language for Microcomputers, was created by Gary Kildall in 1973. He made it for Intel, to use with the Intel 8008 processor. This language was meant to make it easier to write programs for small computers.

Later, PL/M was updated to work with the more powerful Intel 8080 processor. Because the 8080 could run the PL/M compiler, Gary Kildall used the language to create a disk operating system. This system let computers use floppy disks to store and access large amounts of data. This work helped lead to the creation of CP/M, an early operating system that became very important for personal computers.

History

In 1973, Gary Kildall worked at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He had money to create a computer lab with machines like the Intel 8008. Kildall wanted to make a high-level language called PL/M for these small computers. He told Hank Smith, Intel's manager, that programmers could write simple code like X = Y + Z, and the computer would change it into detailed instructions.

Kildall made PL/M based on the XPL language, which was for teaching. He showed that PL/M could create programs just as good as code written by hand but much faster. At first, PL/M needed big mainframe computers to get the code ready, which was then saved on punch tape for small computers. When the Intel 8080 chip was made, it could run PL/M but needed better storage. Kildall used an early floppy disk drive to save the programs, making PL/M easier to use every day.

Overview

PL/M was a programming language created by Gary Kildall in 1973. It was made for early microcomputers and was based on ideas from other languages like PL/I and XPL. PL/M did not have standard ways to handle basic input and output. Instead, it focused on working closely with the computer's hardware, allowing direct control over memory and other parts.

PL/M was used to create parts of the CP/M operating system and many embedded systems in the 1970s and 1980s. It was first made for the Intel 8008 processor and later updated to work with newer processors like the Intel 8080 and Zilog Z80. Although Intel no longer supports PL/M, some tools still exist that can translate PL/M code into other languages.

PL/M sample code

This is a piece of PL/M code that shows how to search for small information inside bigger memory. The code uses simple steps to check each place one by one until it finds what it is looking for or reaches the end. It helps computers know where important information is stored.