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Operating System
Ok, so everyone knows that they have this big electronic thing in
front of them. It runs on something called hardware. But what tells the
computer what to do. Well, I have the answer for you. The principle "activist"
in your computer’s daily function is your operating system (OS). Yes, it
is the thing that crashes all the time, but down worry about it, it is
your friend no matter how many times you curse at it.
The operating system is responsible for everything on your computer.
It gives the commands. Think of it like a football team. The coach is sitting
there yelling all kinds of instructions at the players. Well, that is like
the relationship of the operating system with the rest of the computer.
The operating system analyzes input and then processes the correct output.
It controls your computer, both the internal and external components. Due
to this huge job, it is inevitable that everyone once in a while it will
run into a small problem (crashing, blue screen of death).
An operating system can have various jobs. For large systems that run
on operating systems like Unix and NT server, it controls multiple users.
All the users connected to these big systems create a big traffic problem,
and the operating system is responsible for controlling it. In addition,
the operating system has a responsibility to keep the computer restricted
to only what the user meant it to do. Therefore, it is responsible for
security.
Operating Systems are grouped into types:
Multi-User: An operating system developed to support multiple
users accessing the same system.
MultiProcessing: An operating system that supports running a
program on multiple CPUs.
Multitasking: An operating system designed to allow the user
to run multiple programs at one time.
Multithreading: Allows different parts of a single program to
be run concurrently.
Real-time: Responds to input automatically.
When building an operating system, the programmer(s) design the software
platform. This platform is used when other programmers develop programs
for the operating system. The software platform (also called a kernel)
limits the type of applications a computer can run. For example, the Linux
operating system does not support window’s based programs.
Operating systems run commands from the command processor. These commands
are what the processor allows the user to do. For example, in DOS copy,
rename, and format are examples of commands that the command processor
can do.
A few examples of popular operating systems:
386BSD, AIX, AOS, Amoeba, Angel, Artemis microkernel,
BEOS, Brazil, COS, CP/M, CTSS, Chorus, DACNOS, DOSEXEC 2, GCOS, GEORGE
3, GEOS, ITS, KAOS, LynxOS, MPV, MS-DOS, MVS, Mach, Macintosh operating
system, MINIX, Multics, Multipop-68, Novell NetWare, OS-9, OS/2, Pick,
Plan 9, QNX, RISC OS, STING, System V, System/360, TOPS-10, TOPS-20, TRUSIX,
TWENEX, TYMCOM-X, Thoth, Unix, VM/CMS, VMS, VRTX, VSTa, VxWorks, WAITS,
Windows 95, Windows98, Windows NT.
Ready for more? Continue your education of computers with the core of
your computer the Motherboard.
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