imported>Bumm13: /* Description */ punctuation and name spelling fixes

2025-09-26T16:15:52Z

Description: punctuation and name spelling fixes

New page

{{Short description|Discontinued mainframe/minicomputer operating system}}
{{Infobox OS
| name = MPE, MPE XL, MPE/iX
| logo = 
| logo caption =
| logo size =
| logo alt =
| screenshot = 
| caption =
| screenshot_size =
| screenshot_alt =
| collapsible =
| version of = 
| developer = [[Hewlett-Packard]]
| family = 
| working state = Discontinued
| source model = 
| released = {{Start date and age|1974}}
| discontinued = 
| RTM date = 
| GA date = 
| latest release version = 7.5
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2002|8}}
| latest preview version =
| latest preview date = 
| marketing target =
| programmed in = System Programming Language, HP Pascal, [[Assembly language]]
| language = 
| update model = 
| package manager = 
| supported platforms = [[HP 3000]]
| kernel type = 
| userland =
| ui = [[Command-line interface]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
| preceded by =
| succeeded by =
| website = {{web archive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050312092253/http://www.hp.com/products1/evolution/e3000/mpeix/|title=MPE/iX at hp.com}}
| support status = 
| 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'''.<ref>{{cite book |title=COMMUNICATOR 3000/XL Release 1.0 (A.02.00) |publisher=Hewlett-Packard |location= |date=April 1988 |id=5958-3183 |edition=R2815 |url=http://www.3kranger.com/HP3000/mpeix/doc3k/BCOMM3000.10028/19.htm |quote=Introduction to MPE XL for MPE V Systems Administrator 30367-60001 }}</ref>

In 1983, the original version of MPE was written in a language called SPL ([[Systems Programming Language]]). MPE XL was written primarily in [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]], with some [[assembly language]] and some of the old SPL code.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}

In 1992, the OS name was changed to '''MPE/iX''' to indicate [[Unix]] interoperability with the addition of [[POSIX]] compatibility.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=MPE/iX Release 4.0 (B.40.00) Overview |chapter-url=http://www.3kranger.com/HP3000/mpeix/doc3k/B3021690104.11968/3.htm |title=MPE/iX RELEASE 4.0 (Core Software Release B.40.00) |publisher=Hewlett-Packard |date=1992-06-01 |id=30216-90104 |series=COMMUNICATOR 3000 MPE }}</ref> 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.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}

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>{{cite book |title=MPE/iX Commands Reference Manual |publisher=Hewlett-Packard |series=HP 3000 MPE/iX Computer Systems |date=October 1998 |id=32650-90864 |edition=10th |url=https://www.hpmuseum.net/capcha/freecap_wrap.php?r=5481}}</ref>

{{Div col|colwidth=9em}}
* [[shutdown (computing)|=SHUTDOWN]]
* [[BASIC]]
* [[cd (command)|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]]
* [[ren (command)|RENAME]]
* [[Bourne shell|SH]]
* [[While loop|WHILE]]
{{Div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{web archive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050312092253/http://www.hp.com/products1/evolution/e3000/mpeix/|title=Official website}}
* [http://allegro.com Allegro Consultants, Inc.] Free HP 3000 Software, MPE Software Support
* [http://beechglen.com Beechglen Development Inc.] MPE Software Support {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227212003/http://beechglen.com/ |date=1996-12-27 }}
* [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]
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823230928/http://www.openmpe.com/ |date=2018-08-23 |title = openMPE}} Advocates of continued MPE and IMAGE source code access beyond 2010
* {{cite web |title=Collection Listings (Documents) |publisher=HP Computer Museum |url=https://www.hpmuseum.net/collection_document.php}} Search for headings 3000, MPE V Operating System, MPE/XL MPE/iX

{{Hewlett-Packard software}}

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

{{operating-system-stub}}

HP Multi-Programming Executive - Revision history

imported>Bumm13: /* Description */ punctuation and name spelling fixes