HP Multi-Programming Executive
| MPE, MPE XL, MPE/iX | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Hewlett-Packard |
| Written in | System Programming Language, HP Pascal, Assembly language |
| Working state | Discontinued |
| Initial release | 1974 |
| Latest release | 7.5 / August 2002 |
| Supported platforms | HP 3000 |
| Default user interface | Command-line interface |
| License | Proprietary |
| Official website | MPE/iX at hp.com at the Wayback Machine (archived 2005-03-12) |
MPE (Multi-Programming Executive) is a discontinued business-oriented mainframe computer real-time operating system developed by Hewlett-Packard for their HP 3000 computers. While the HP 3000s were initially mini-mainframes, the final high-end systems supported 12 CPUs and over 2000 simultaneous users.
Description
It runs on the HP 3000 family of computers, which originally used HP custom 16-bit stack architecture CISC CPUs and were later migrated to PA-RISC where the operating system was called MPE XL.[1]
In 1983, the original version of MPE was written in a language called SPL (System Programming Language). MPE XL was written primarily in Pascal, with some assembly language and some of the old SPL code.
In 1992, the OS name was changed to MPE/iX to indicate Unix interoperability with the addition of POSIX compatibility.[2] The discontinuance of the product line was announced in late 2001, with support from HP terminating at the end of 2010. A number of 3rd party companies still support both the hardware and software.
In 2002 HP released the last version MPE/iX 7.5.[3]
Commands
Among others, MPE/iX supports the following list of common commands and programs.[4]
References
- ^ COMMUNICATOR 3000/XL Release 1.0 (A.02.00) (R2815 ed.). Hewlett-Packard. April 1988. 5958-3183.
Introduction to MPE XL for MPE V Systems Administrator 30367-60001
- ^ "MPE/iX Release 4.0 (B.40.00) Overview". MPE/iX RELEASE 4.0 (Core Software Release B.40.00). COMMUNICATOR 3000 MPE. Hewlett-Packard. 1992-06-01. 30216-90104.
- ^ 3000-MPE (Software), on HPMuseum site, retrieved on October 2019.
- ^ MPE/iX Commands Reference Manual. HP 3000 MPE/iX Computer Systems (10th ed.). Hewlett-Packard. October 1998. 32650-90864.
External links
- Official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 2005-03-12)
- Allegro Consultants, Inc. Free HP 3000 Software, MPE Software Support
- Beechglen Development Inc. MPE Software Support Archived 1996-12-27 at the Wayback Machine
- HP MPE/iX homepage
- HP MPE/iX Command reference
- openMPE at the Wayback Machine (archived 2018-08-23) Advocates of continued MPE and IMAGE source code access beyond 2010
- "Collection Listings (Documents)". HP Computer Museum. Search for headings 3000, MPE V Operating System, MPE/XL MPE/iX
