- Operating System (OS), basic software controlling a computer.
- The OS coordinates and manipulates computer hardware,
organizes files in storage, and limits hardware errors and the loss of data.
- How an OS Works
- An OS controls the interpretation
of commands from the user to the computer. Some command interpreters require commands to be typed in. Other command
interpreters let the user communicate by pointing to and clicking on pictures. Beginners generally find pictorial interpreters
easier, but many experienced users prefer more powerful text interpreters.
- An OS is either single-tasking or multitasking.
Single-tasking operating systems perform only one function at a time. Every modern OS is multitasking and can perform several
functions simultaneously.
- Current Operating Systems
- The operating systems commonly found on personal computers are
UNIX, Macintosh OS, MS-DOS, OS/2, Windows 9X and Windows ME.
- UNIX is popular among academic computer users, largely
because the software for the Internet was first designed for UNIX. The commands in UNIX are not intuitive, however, and
mastering the system is difficult.
- DOS (Disk Operating System) and its successor, MS-DOS, are popular among personal
computer users, although they are single-tasking because they were developed before personal computers became powerful. A
multitasking variation is OS/2.
- Many users prefer an OS with a graphical user interface, such as Windows 9X, Windows ME or the Macintosh
OS, which make computer technology more accessible. However, graphical systems generally require faster central processing
units, more memory, and higher-quality displays than other operating systems.
- Future Technologies
- A recently developed type of OS called a distributed operating system is designed for a network of computers sharing hardware resources. In a distributed OS, a process can run on any computer in the network. All basic OS functions become more complex in distributed systems.
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