(Uses the system in some way) Software applications (also known as system and application programs) The operating system (which oversees software and hardware resources) Hardware (computers in physical form) Hardware, an operating system or operating systems, system programs, and application programs make up every general-purpose computer. The hardware consists of memory, CPU, ALU, I/O devices, peripheral devices and storage devices. Compilers, loaders, editors, and the operating system are all part of the system program. Every computer must have an operating system to run other programs. The operating system coordinates the use of the hardware among the various system programs and application programs for various users. It simply provides an environment within which other programs can do useful work.
An operating system (OS) is a set of programs that runs on a computer to make it work well. Recognizing input from the keyboard, managing disk files and directories, displaying output on the screen, and controlling peripheral devices are all simple tasks it handles. Operating System Objectives Primary Objectives The primary goals of an operating system (OS) are to provide a easy to use and convenient environment for executing user programs.
User Convenience : It should be easy to use, providing a user-friendly interface and making it simple to interact with the system.
Program Execution: It facilitates the execution of user programs, providing the necessary environment and services for them to run.
Resource Management: The OS manages and allocates the computer’s resources, including the CPU, memory, disk storage, and input/output devices, to ensure fair utilization.
Security: The operating system safeguards the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information by preventing unauthorized access to the system and user data. Secondary Purposes Efficient Resource Utilization: It should aim to maximize the performance and utilization of computer resources like CPU, Memory and IO devices, ensuring that the system runs smoothly and efficiently.
Reliability: It ought to be durable and dependable, able to gracefully deal with errors and exceptions, ensuring that the system continues to function normally. It should be modular in design and easy to debug.
List of Common Operating Systems
There are multiple types of operating systems each having its own unique features:
OS Windows Microsoft is the developer. Key Features : User-friendly interface, software compatibility, hardware support, Strong gaming support.
Advantages : Easy to use for most users, Broad support from third-party applications ,Frequent updates and support.
Examples of typical applications include gaming, personal computing, and the workplace. macOS
Apple is the developer. Strong integration with other Apple products, robust security features, high performance, and stability are among the key features. Advantages : Optimized for Apple hardware, Seamless experience across Apple ecosystem, Superior graphics and multimedia capabilities.
Typical Use Cases : Creative industries (design, video editing, music production), Personal computing, Professional environments.
Linux
Developer: driven by the community (with multiple distributions). Open-source and highly customizable, robust security and stability, lightweight and compatible with older hardware, and a wide range of distributions (such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian) are some of the key features. Benefits include being suitable for servers and development environments, having strong community support, and being free to use and distribute. Typical Use Cases : Servers and data centers, Development and programming, Personal computing for tech enthusiasts.
Unix
Developer: Originally AT&T Bell Labs, various commercial and open-source versions available
Key Features: Multiuser and multitasking capabilities, Strong security and stability, Powerful command-line interface, Portability across different hardware platforms
Benefits include dependable and sturdiness, suitability for high-performance servers and computing, and extensive networking support. Servers and workstations, development environments, academic settings, and research are typical use cases. The Operating System’s Past The operating system has been evolving through the years. The following table shows the history of OS.
Era Key Developments Examples
1956 General Motors released GM-NAA I/O, the initial operating system, in 1956. GM-NAA I/O (1956)
1960s IBM developed a time sharing system TSS/360 OS/360, DOS/360 and TSS/360
1970s Unix popularized simplicity and multitasking; rise of personal computers with basic OSs. CP/M (1974), Unix (1971) OSes with GUIs became popular in the 1980s, and networking features became standard. Apple Macintosh (1984), Windows (1985)
In the 1990s, Linux became open-source, and Windows and Mac OS GUIs got better. Linux (1991), Windows 95 (1995)
2000s-Present Mobile OSs dominated; cloud and virtualization technologies advanced computing. iOS (2007), Android (2008)
Operating System Characteristics Now, let’s talk about some important characteristics of operating systems: Device Management: The operating system keeps track of all the devices. As a result, it is also referred to as the Input/Output controller because it determines which process receives the device, when, and for how long. File Management is responsible for allocating and de-allocating resources as well as determining who receives them. It keeps track of the time and resources used by various jobs or users with Job Accounting. Methods for creating dumps, traces, error messages, and other debugging and error-detecting methods are included in error-detecting aids. Memory Management: It is responsible for managing the primary memory of a computer, including what part of it are in use by whom also check how much amount free or used and allocate process
Processor Management is the process of allocating a processor to a process and then de-allocating the processor when either the job is finished or the processor is no longer required. Security: Passwords or other security measures are used to prevent unauthorized access to programs and data. Layered Design of Operating System
OS
Fig. OS layered Operations like context save, dispatching, swapping, and I/O initiation are available from the extended machine. The extended machine layer is on top of the operating system layer. This arrangement considerably simplifies the coding and testing of OS modules by separating the algorithm of a function from the implementation of its primitive operations. It is now easier to test, debug and modify an OS module than in a monolithic OS. We say that the lower layer provides an abstraction that is the extended machine. The OS’s top layer is referred to as the operating system layer. An Operating System’s Components An operating system consists of two fundamental parts. Shell is the Operating System’s outermost layer, and it handles user interaction. It takes care of the OS’s output and interprets input for the OS. Kernel is the core component of operating system. The primary interface between the hardware and the operating system is the kernel.