An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is a component of the system software in a computer system.
Examples of Operating System (OS)
- UNIX and UNIX-like operating system
- OSX (formerly “Mac OSX”) is a line of open core graphical operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc.
LINUX – Linux is used on only 1.82% of all personal computers. It has been widely adopted for use in servers and embedded systems such as cell phones. Google Chromes OS is an operating system based on the Linux kernel and designed by Google.
Microsoft Windows – Microsoft Windows is a family of proprietary operating systems designed by Microsoft Corporation and primarily targeted to Intel architecture based computers, with an estimated 88.9% percent total usage share on web connected computers. The latest version is windows 10.
FUNCTIONS OF OPERATING SYSTEM
- Application programs usually require an operating system to function
- Time sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also include accounting software for cost allocation of processor time, mass storage, printing, and other resources.
- For hardware functions such as input and output and memory allocation, the operating system acts as an intermediary between programs and the computer hardware.
- Operating systems are found on many devices that contain a computer – from cellular phones and video game consoles to web servers and super computers.
- Operating system provides the interface between the user and the hardware.
- Operating system manages all the resources such as memory and processor and the input output devices
- Operating system also control all the storage operations means on how the data or file will be stored into the computers and how the file will be accessed by the users etc.
- Process Management: the operating system will create the priorities for the user and also start or stops the execution of the process and also divide large processes into the small processes.
- Memory Management: operating system also manages the memory of the computer system which means they provide the memory to the process and also deallocate the memory from the process.
- Extended Machine: operating system also behave like an extended machine, means operating system also provides some graphical environment and also provides various languages for communications and also provides many complex operation like using many hardware and software.
TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEM
The most popular by far are the Microsoft Window family of operating systems, the Macintosh operating system, and the UNIX family of operating systems. The four general types of operating systems are:
- Real-time operating system
- Single user operating system
- Single-task operating system
- Multi-user operating systems.
EVALUATION
- What is operating system
- List four types of operating system
- Mention four operating system