Introduction

The Altair 8800 simulator is part of the SIMH family of simulators currently at version 3.7-2. Unlike a real Altair 8800 it features several enhancements:

Quick Start for Running CP/M

PC
Download Download the simulator with documentation and CP/M 2.2.
Execution Unpack the simulator to obtain altairz80.exe, the disk image (cpm2.dsk) and the command file (cpm2). Put all files into one folder. Start the simulator and type the command "do cpm2" at the sim> command prompt and CP/M is booted.
Macintosh (OS X)
Download Download the simulator (universal binary for PPC and Intel) with documentation and CP/M 2.2.
Execution Unpack the simulator to obtain AltairZ80.app, the disk image (cpm2.dsk) and the command file (cpm2). Put all files into one folder. Double click AltairZ80 to start the simulator and type the command "do cpm2" at the sim> command prompt and CP/M is booted. Alternatively you can drag the file "cpm2" onto the AltairZ80 icon (make sure that the path to cpm2 does not contain space characters).
Macintosh (OS 9.x)
Download Download the simulator with documentation and CP/M 2.2.
Execution Unpack the simulator to obtain AltairZ80, the disk image (cpm2.dsk) and the command file (cpm2). Put all files into one folder. Start the simulator and type "cpm2" in the "Argument:" text field to boot CP/M.
Zaurus
Download Download the simulator with documentation and the CP/M disks.
Execution Start a terminal or the console application and type "gunzip altairz80.tar.gz", "tar -xf altairz80.tar" and "./altairz80 cpm2" to boot CP/M.

The rest of this page shows what other options and software packages are available. Also have a look at the Frequently Asked Questions.

Simulator Executables and Sources

Package Size Format Download Contents
PC 433 KB ZIP download Executable for PC with documentation
Macintosh OS X 726 KB ZIP download Application for Macintosh OS X (universal binary for both PPC and Intel) with documentation. Note: the application is based on a terminal application which you can find inside the package or simply as AltairZ80 (to be executed from Terminal).
Macintosh OS 9.x 530 KB ZIP download Executable for Macintosh OS 9.x with documentation
Sharp Zaurus 87 KB GZIP download Executable for Sharp Zaurus (may need to use "Save Link As ..." to properly download)
Source 529 KB ZIP download Full set of sources in ANSI C with documentation

Some of the software (e.g. PROLOGZ, screen editors, MP/M, etc.) requires Telnet and its VT100 emulation capability. It is typically included on the PC while for the Macintosh (OS 9.x) BetterTelnet works well. On Macintosh OS X the built-in terminal window already has VT100 capabilities.

Software Packages

Manuals for the Digital Research products can be found in the Tim Olmstead Memorial CP/M Library

Original Altair Software

The package below contains a sample collection of sample software for the original Altair 8800 including the famous 4k Basic.

Package Size (ZIP) Download Contents
Original Altair software 325 KB download (altsw.zip)
  • Altair Basic 3.2 (4k)
  • Altair 8k Basic
  • Altair Basic 4.0
  • MITS Disk Extended BASIC Version 4.1
  • Altair Disk Extended Basic Version 300-5-C (made available by Scott LaBombard)
  • Altair Disk Extended Basic Version 5.0 (from Andrew Kessel's site)
  • Altair DOS Version 1.0
Tiny programming languages 311 KB download (minolvtl.zip)
  • MINOL (based on documents retyped by Emmanuel ROCHE)
  • VTL-2 (based on documents retyped by Emmanuel ROCHE)

Operating Systems

The packages below span a wide range of available operating systems.

Package Size (ZIP) Download Contents
CP/M Version 1.4 166 KB download
  • Operating system
  • Customized BIOS
  • Modified bootstrap loader ROM
  • Development environment (CP/M 2.2) to create 31K and 63K version
  • ED, ASM, LOAD, DDT, SUBMIT, STAT, PIP, DUMP, SYSGEN
CP/M Version 2.2 549 KB download
  • Operating system
  • Microsoft Basic and Eliza
  • Microsoft development tools M80 and L80, debugger DDTZ
  • SPL: a compiler for a C-like, Simple Programming Language
  • PROLOGZ (interactive Prolog development environment)
  • SPL sources for PROLOGZ
  • Pascal MT+ compiler and Pascal pretty printer (Pascal source)
  • Assembler sources for CP/M 2.2 BDOS, CCP and Altair BIOS
  • Assembler source and documentation for CCPZ, a CCP replacement written for the Z80
  • .SUB files to re-create CP/M 2.2 from the supplied sources
  • Othello and Ladder (games)
  • Many utilities with SPL or assembler sources
CP/NET 1.2 and CPNOS 1.2 545 KB download
  • Server based on MP/M, Client based on CP/M 2.2
  • All customized sourced on disks
  • CP/NET server can serve one or two CP/NET or CPNOS clients
  • Works on all platforms supported by SIMH
Personal CP/M 227 KB download
  • Operating system
  • Customized BIOS
  • Sources for CCP, BDOS and BIOS
CP/M Version 3 with banked memory 348 KB download
  • Operating system
  • Altair BIOS source
MP/M II with banked memory 224 KB download
  • Operating system with support for 8 banks
  • Multi terminal support for 4 terminals via Telnet
  • Multi user and multi programming
  • Altair XIOS source
DOS+ 272 KB download
  • Operating system
  • CP/M compatible replacement for both CCP and BDOS
  • All sources for system generation
  • Original sources are on C. B. Falconer's site.
NovaDOS 298 KB download
  • CP/M 2.2 with NovaDOS as BDOS replacement
  • All sources for system generation
P2DOS 215 KB download
  • CP/M 2.2 with P2DOS as BDOS replacement
  • All sources for system generation
QP/M 951 KB download
  • QP/M 2.7 is a complete CP/M compatible replacement for CCP and BDOS from MICROCode Consulting featuring time/date stamping.
  • Includes the source of the modified BIOS, documentation, LinkZ and DebugZ. QP/M, LinkZ and DebugZ are free for non-commercial use but see the restrictions.
SuperDOS 222 KB download
  • CP/M 2.2 with SuperDOS as BDOS replacement
  • All sources for system generation
Z80DOS 419 KB download
  • CP/M 2.2 with Z80DOS as BDOS replacement
  • All sources for system generation
ZSDOS 344 KB download
  • CP/M 2.2 with ZSDOS as BDOS replacement
  • All sources for system generation
NZ-COM 1'178 KB download
  • Full release of Z-System based on CP/M 2.2
  • All sources included
  • User manual in PDF format
  • See also the MaxZ80 tutorial by Lee Bradley.
Z3PLUS 1'135 KB download
  • Full release of Z-System based on CP/M 3
  • All sources included
  • User manual in PDF format

Programming Languages

With the exception of ACT, BDS C and PILOT, all packages below require an operating system disk from above such as CP/M 2.2 (download).

Package Size (ZIP) Download Contents
ACT 191 KB download
  • ACT 3.0 Assembler by SORCIM for 8080/8085, Z80, 6800, 6502, 8086/8088 microprocessors
Ada 224 KB download
  • JANUS/ADA - Version 1.5.0 with sample programs
Algol 31 KB download
  • Algol-M - Version 1.1 with sample programs
APL 48 KB download
  • apl/z v1.1 with some documentation and utility functions
Basic 361 KB download
  • Microsoft BASIC-80 Rev. 5.21
  • Microsoft BASIC Rev. 5.1
  • Microsoft BASIC Rev. 4.51
  • Microsoft Basic Compiler BASCOM 5.30a
  • Digital Research CBASIC Compiler Version 2.8
  • Digital Research CBASIC Compiler Version 2.0
  • CBASIC Compiler Version 2.07
  • Xitan Z-80 High Precision Disk BASIC Version 1.06
  • Basic programs: ELIZA, STARTREK, HAMURS, MSTMND
Basic Collection 4'555 KB download
  • Softaid MTBASIC Multitasking Basic Compiler Version 2.6g with documentation in PDF
  • S-BASIC Compiler Version 5.4b
  • Real Time Microsystems TARBELL BASIC
C 1'033 KB download
  • BDS C 1.60 distribution
  • Comes with CP/M Version 2.2 from above
  • Compiler and linker sources
  • Original sources and documentation are on Leor Zolman's site.
COBOL 190 KB download
  • Microsoft MS-COBOL Version 4.65 with VT100 support and sample programs
COMAL 231 KB download
  • COMAL-80/z80 rev. CP/M 2.10 with some VT100 support and sample programs. Mr. Roche has graciously provided this rarity.
Forth 239 KB download
  • Forth (UNIFORTH and Forth 83 Version 2.1.0)
FORTRAN 102 KB download
  • Microsoft FORTRAN-80 Ver. 3.4
  • Microsoft FORTRAN-80 Ver. 3.33
Lisp 50 KB download
  • LISP/80 Version 1.1 and muLISP-80
Modula 2 179 KB download
  • MODULA-2 Compiler for Z80-CP/M Version 2.01 with sample programs
Mumps 127 KB download
  • MUMPS Version 2.62 with source and version 2.60
muSIMP 126 KB download
  • Symbolic algebra package muSIMP-80 2.14
Pascal 85 KB download
  • Turbo Pascal Version 3.00A configured for VT100
UCSD Pascal II.0 282 KB download
  • UCSD Pascal II.0 ( Original Source) configured for VT100. Additional disks containing all sources are also available (ZIP format, 1179 KB). Note that the Pascal compiler source (u132a_pascal_compiler_source.raw.gz) and the YALOE editor source (u128_l2_yaloe_source.org.raw.gz) were both incomplete and had to be fixed. Note that you need the latest version of the simulator!
PILOT 237 KB download
  • PILOT to Pascal compiler (Pascal/Z included) with sample programs on a bootable disk with CP/M 2.2
PL/I 140 KB download
  • Digital Research PL/I-80 V1.0
PLM 399 KB download
  • PLM based on ISIS
  • PIP.PLM and MAKEPIP.SUB included as a sample PLM program
SPL 350 KB download
  • Simple Programming Language (SPL)
  • Compiler written in SPL with sources
  • Compiler produces .REL output
  • Full run time system with all sources
  • Set of sample programs and utilities with sources
  • Also includes SPL.PMA archive file (for use with PMEXT.COM). This can be useful if you want to use SPL on other CP/M machines or simulators.

Database, Word Processing and Spreadsheet

All packages below require an operating system disk from above such as CP/M 2.2 (download).

Package Size (ZIP) Download Contents
dBASE 92 KB download
  • dBASE II Version 2.4 configured for VT100
Wordstar 180 KB download
  • Release 4.00, customized for VT100 terminal and ASCII printer
Multiplan 112 KB download
  • Release 1.06, customized for VT100 terminal
SuperCalc 116 KB download
  • Release 1.00, customized for VT100 terminal

Games

The package below requires an operating system disk from above such as CP/M 2.2 (download).

Package Size (ZIP) Download Contents
Games 234 KB download
  • Adventure (Colossal Cave), Catchum, Worm, Ladder, Rogue, Wanderer

More Tools

The package below requires an operating system disk from above such as CP/M 2.2 (download).

Package Size (ZIP) Download Contents
Tools 129 KB download
  • DDTZ27 and JOB15 with sources for M80
  • Original sources are on C. B. Falconer's site.

Related sites



Last revision 27-Aug-2007 (CET)

home

Valid HTML 4.01!