OPERATING

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SYSTEM
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WHAT IS AN OPERATING SYSTEM

 An operating system (OS) is the program that, after being initially loaded
into the computer by a boot program, manages all of the
other application programs in a computer. The application programs
make use of the operating system by making requests for services
through a defined application program interface (API). In addition, users
can interact directly with the operating system through a user interface
such as a command line or a graphical user interface (GUI).
 FUNCTIONS
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 1. Booting: Booting is a process of starting the computer operating system starts the computer to work. It
checks the computer and makes it ready to work.

 2. Memory Management

 It is also an important function of operating system. The memory cannot be managed without operating
system. Different programs and data execute in memory at one time. if there is no operating system, the
programs may mix with each other. The system will not work properly.

 3. Loading and Execution

 A program is loaded in the memory before it can be executed. Operating system provides the facility to
load programs in memory easily and then execute it.

 4. Data security

 Data is an important part of computer system. The operating system protects the data stored on the
computer from illegal use, modification or deletion.

 5. Disk Management

 Operating system manages the disk space. It manages the stored files and folders in a proper way.
 6. Process Management
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 CPU can perform one task at one time. if there are many tasks, operating system decides which task
should get the CPU.

 7. Device Controlling

 operating system also controls all devices attached to computer. The hardware devices are controlled
with the help of small software called device drivers.

 8. Printing controlling

 Operating system also controls printing function. It a user issues two print commands at a time, it
does not mix data of these files and prints them separately.

 9. Providing interface

 It is used in order that user interface acts with a computer mutually. User interface controls how you
input data and instruction and how information is displayed on screen. The operating system offers
two types of the interface to the user:

 1. Graphical-line interface: It interacts with of visual environment to communicate with the computer. It
uses windows, icons, menus and other graphical objects to issues commands.

 2. Command-line interface: it provides an interface to communicate with the computer by typing

commands.
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What Operating Systems Do?

 Operating systems define how a computer stores files, switches between different
applications, manages memory, keeps itself secure, and interacts with peripherals like
printers and cameras. Different operating systems take different approaches to all of these,
which is why you normally can't run a Windows program on a Macintosh computer and why
permissions look different on an Android phone than on an iPhone.

 Some operating systems are designed by groups of people around the world, like the open
source, freely available operating system Linux, while others are commercial products made
by one company, such as Microsoft's Windows and Apple's mac OS.

 Different operating systems run on different types of hardware and are designed for different
types of applications. For example, iOS is designed for iPhones and iPad tablets, while Mac
desktops and laptops use mac OS. Your computer or smartphone comes equipped with an
OS, but you can install another one in some cases.
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Microsoft Windows

 Microsoft Windows has existed in one form or another since 1985, and it
remains the most popular operating system for home and office computers. Its
latest versions, including Windows 10, are also used on some tablets, and the
OS is used on some web and number-crunching server computers as well.
Computers from a wide variety of manufacturers can use Windows.

 Initial versions of Windows worked with an earlier Microsoft operating system

called MS-DOS, providing a modern graphical interface on top of DOS's
traditional text-based commands. Signature features of Microsoft Windows's
user interface include windows themselves – rectangle-shaped, on-panel
screens that represent individual applications. The Windows Start menu has
helped generations of users find programs and files on their devices.

 Efforts to use versions of the Windows OS for smartphones have been less
successful.
 z Apple iOS

 Apple's iOS is one of the most popular smartphone operating systems,

second only to Android. It runs on Apple hardware, including iPhones,
iPad tablets and iPod Touch media players.

 Signature features of iOS include the App Store where users buy apps
and download free software, an emphasis on security including strong
encryption to limit what unauthorized users can extract from the phone,
and a simple, streamlined interface with minimal hardware buttons.
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Google's Android OS

 Android is the most popular operating system in the world judging by the
number of devices installed. Largely developed by Google, it's chiefly used
on smartphones and tablets. Unlike iOS, it can be used on devices made
by a variety of different manufacturers, and those makers can tweak parts
of its interface to suit their own needs.

 Users can download custom versions of the operating system because

large portions of it are open source, meaning anyone can legally modify it
and publish their own. However, most people prefer to stick with the version
that comes on their devices.

 Android, like iOS, comes with an application and media store called the
Play Store built by Google. Some phone manufacturers and other
organizations also offer their own stores to install software and media.
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Apple mac OS

 Apple's mac OS, successor to the popular OS X operating system, runs on Apple
laptops and desktops. Based in part on the historic family of Unix operating
systems dating back to research in the 1960s at AT&T's Bell Labs, mac OS
shares some features with other Unix-related operating systems including Linux.
While the graphical interfaces are different, many of the underlying programming
interfaces and command line features are the same.

 Signature elements of mac OS include the dock used to find programs and
frequently used files, unique keyboard keys including the Command key, and the
stoplight-colored buttons used to resize open program windows. Mac OS is
known for its user-friendly features, which include Siri, a natural-voice personal
assistant, and FaceTime, Apple's video-calling application.
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Linux Operating System

 Unlike many other operating systems, development on Linux isn't led by

any one company. The operating system was created by Finnish
programmer Linus Torvalds in 1991. Nowadays, programmers from all over
the world collaborate on its open source code and submit tweaks to the
central kernel software and other programs.

 A wide assortment of commercial and open source software is available for

Linux, and various Linux distributions provide custom user interfaces and
tools for installing software onto machines running the operating system. A
favorite of many programmers, Linux is widely used on corporate and
scientific servers, including cloud computing environments. Linux can be
run on a wide variety of hardware and is available free of charge over the
internet.
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CITATIONS

 https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/operating-system-OS

 https://smallbusiness.chron.com/five-common-operating-
systems-28217.html

 https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-five-functions-of-an-
operating-system