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An Operating System (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. When you start using a Computer System then it's the Operating System (OS) which acts as an interface between you and the computer hardware. The operating system is really a low level Software which is categorised as a System Software and supports a computer's basic functions, such as memory management, tasks scheduling and controlling peripherals etc. This simple and easy tutorial will take you through step by step approach while learning Operating System concepts in detail. What is Operating System?An Operating System (OS) is an interface between a computer user and computer hardware. An operating system is a software which performs all the basic tasks like file management, memory management, process management, handling input and output, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers. Generally, a Computer System consists of the following components:
So now let's put it in simple words: If we consider a Computer Hardware is body of the Computer System, then we can say an Operating System is its soul which brings it alive ie. operational. We can never use a Computer System if it does not have an Operating System installed on it. Operating System - ExamplesThere are plenty of Operating Systems available in the market which include paid and unpaid (Open Source). Following are the examples of the few most popular Operating Systems:
Some other old but popular Operating Systems include Solaris, VMS, OS/400, AIX, z/OS, etc. Operating System - FunctionsTo brief, Following are some of important functions of an operating System which we will look in more detail in upcoming chapters:
Operating Systems - HistoryOperating systems have been evolving through the years. In the 1950s, computers were limited to running one program at a time like a calculator, but later in the following decades, computers began to include more and more software programs, sometimes called libraries, that formed the basis for today’s operating systems. The first Operating System was created by General Motors in 1956 to run a single IBM mainframe computer, its name was the IBM 704. IBM was the first computer manufacturer to develop operating systems and distribute them in its computers in the 1960s. There are few facts about Operating System evaluation:
Why to Learn Operating SystemIf you are aspiring to become a Great Computer Programmer then it is highly recommended to understand how exactly an Operating System works inside out. This gives opportunity to understand how exactly data is saved in the disk, how different processes are created and scheduled to run by the CPU, how to interact with different I/O devices and ports. There are various low level concepts which help a programmer to Design and Develop scalable softwares. Bottom line is without a good understanding of Operating System Concepts, it can't be assumed someone to be a good Computer Application Software developer, and even it is unimaginable imagine someone to become a System Software developer without knowing Operating System in-depth. If you are a fresher and applying for a job in any standard company like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM etc then it is very much possible that you will be asked questions related to Operating System concepts. Target AudienceThis tutorial has been prepared for the Computer Science Professionals and Students specially for BCA, MCA, B.Tech, M.Tech Engineering Students to help them understand the basic to advanced concepts related to an Operating System in general. Operating System is one of the core concepts in every University teaching Computer Science and this subject has a lot of weight from exams point of view. PrerequisitesBefore you start learning Operating System using this tutorial, we are making an assumption that you are already aware of Computer Fundaments like What is Computer Hardware, CPU, Primary Memory, Secondary Memory, Devices, Files etc. If you are not already aware of these concepts then it will be difficult to understand various concepts related to Operating System and so it is highly recommended to go through our Computer Fundamentals Tutorial before attempting to learn Operating System. What is the software that supports a computer's basic functions?The correct answer is Operating System. It consists of programs, which controls, coordinate and supervise the activities of the various components of a computer system. Its function is to provide a link between the computer hardware and the user.
What type of software is used to control a computer?The main responsibility of the operating system is to manage a computer's software and hardware resources. It is the computer's main control program. The OS controls and maintains a record of all other programs on the computer, including both application and system software.
What manages hardware and software supports the computer's basic functions?Your computer's operating system (OS) manages all of the software and hardware on the computer. Most of the time, there are several different computer programs running at the same time, and they all need to access your computer's central processing unit (CPU), memory, and storage.
What type of computer program that is designed to run a computer's hardware and application programs?System software is designed to run a computer's hardware and provides a platform for applications to run on top of.
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