View source for HP Multi-Programming Executive

{{Short description|Discontinued mainframe/minicomputer operating system}}
{{Infobox OS
| name                   = MPE, MPE XL, MPE/iX<!-- Name of program or distribution -->
| logo                   = <!-- filename only (no wikilink, no Image:/File:) -->
| logo caption           = 
| logo size              = 
| logo alt               = 
| screenshot             = <!-- filename only (no wikilink, no Image:/File:) -->
| caption                = 
| screenshot_size        = 
| screenshot_alt         = 
| collapsible            = 
| version of             = <!-- For articles about releases of operating systems ONLY -->
| developer              = [[Hewlett-Packard]]<!-- Name of main developer or sponsor-->
| family                 = <!-- "Unix-like" or "Microsoft Windows" -->
| working state          = Discontinued<!-- "Current", "Discontinued" (operating systems), or "No longer supported" (releases) -->
| source model           = <!-- "Open source", "Closed source", or "Shared source" -->
| released               = {{Start date and age|1974}}
| discontinued           = <!-- DON'T use this for articles about releases of operating systems -->
| RTM date               = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} ONLY for articles about OS releases -->
| GA date                = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} ONLY for articles about OS releases -->
| latest release version = 7.5
| latest release date    = {{Start date and age|2002|8}}
| latest preview version = 
| latest preview date    = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} -->
| marketing target       = 
| programmed in          = System Programming Language, HP Pascal, [[Assembly language]]
| language               = <!-- Supported human languages (English, French, Italian, Arabic, ...) -->
| update model           = <!-- APT, Windows Update, etc. -->
| package manager        = <!-- dpkg, rpm, Windows installer, etc. -->
| supported platforms    = [[HP 3000]]<!-- IA-32, x64, Itanium, ARM, etc. -->
| kernel type            = <!-- Hybrid, Monolithic, Microkernel, Exokernel, Nanokernel, etc. -->
| userland               = 
| ui                     = [[Command-line interface]]
| license                = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
| preceded by            = 
| succeeded by           = 
| website                = <!-- {{URL|www.example.org}} -->
| support status         = <!-- For articles about releases of operating systems ONLY -->
| other articles         = 
| prog_language          = 
}}
'''MPE''' ('''Multi-Programming Executive''') is a discontinued business-oriented [[mainframe computer]] [[real-time computing|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 [[Central processing unit|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]] [[Complex instruction set computer|CISC]] [[Central processing unit|CPUs]] and were later migrated to [[PA-RISC]] where the operating system was called '''MPE XL'''.

In 1983, the original version of MPE was written in a language called SPL ([[System Programming Language]]). MPE XL was written primarily in [[Pascal (programming language)|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. 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.<ref>[http://www.hpmuseum.net/exhibit.php?swc=22 3000-MPE (Software)], on HPMuseum site, retrieved on October 2019.</ref>

=== Commands ===
Among others, MPE/iX supports the following list of common [[command (computing)|commands]] and programs.<ref>[http://h20628.www2.hp.com/km-ext/kmcsdirect/emr_na-c01687363-4.pdf MPE/iX Commands Reference Manual - HP 3000 MPE/iX Computer Systems - Edition 11]{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

{{Div col|colwidth=9em}}
* [[shutdown (computing)|=SHUTDOWN]]
* [[BASIC]]
* [[CHDIR]]
* [[copy (command)|COPY]]
* [[debug (command)|DEBUG]]
* [[echo (command)|ECHO]]
* [[Conditional (computer programming)|ELSE]]
* [[exit (command)|EXIT]]
* [[Fortran|FORTRAN]]
* [[help (command)|HELP]]
* [[Conditional (computer programming)|IF]]
* [[Pascal (programming language)|PASCAL]]
* [[PRINT (command)|PRINT]]
* [[RENAME]]
* [[Bourne shell|SH]]
* [[While loop|WHILE]]
{{Div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://allegro.com Allegro Consultants, Inc.] Free HP 3000 Software, MPE Software Support
* [http://beechglen.com Beechglen Development Inc.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227212003/http://beechglen.com/ |date=1996-12-27 }} MPE Software Support
* [http://www.hp.com/products1/evolution/e3000/mpeix/ HP MPE/iX homepage]
* [http://docs.hp.com/en/32650-90864/index.html HP MPE/iX Command reference]
* [http://www.openmpe.com openMPE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823230928/http://www.openmpe.com/ |date=2018-08-23 }} Advocates of continued MPE and IMAGE source code access beyond 2010

{{HP}}
{{Operating system}}

[[Category:Discontinued operating systems]]
[[Category:HP software|Multi-Programming Executive]]
[[Category:Proprietary operating systems]]
[[Category:1974 software]]

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