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From: gbs@voder.UUCP (George Smith)
Newsgroups: net.micro.cpm
Subject: Re: The ideal CP/M environment
Message-ID: <563@voder.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Dec-84 20:42:11 EST
Article-I.D.: voder.563
Posted: Thu Dec 13 20:42:11 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Dec-84 05:14:35 EST
References: <462@intelca.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: National Semiconductor, Santa Clara
Lines: 35

> 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
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