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Computer Operating System

The operating system is the foundation software of a machine. It is the computer's master control program that is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources for the computer. The operating system (OS) acts as a host for application programs that are run on the machine As a host, one of the purposes of an operating system is to handle the details of the operation of the hardware. 

operating systems


This relieves application programs from having to manage these details and makes it easier to write applications. Almost all computers, including hand-held computers, desktop computers, supercomputers, and even modern video game consoles, use an operating system of some type. Without it, the computer system cannot function. It is also called an "executive or a "supervisor".

The most popular operating systems include MS-DOS, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000/XP/2003, Mac OS and Linux.

A family of operating systems for personal computers. Windows dominates the personal computer world, running, by some estimates, on 90% of all personal computers. The remaining 10% are modified Macintosh computers. Like the Macintosh operating environment, Windows provides a graphical user interface (GUI), virtual memory management, multitasking, and support for many peripheral devices.

Role of an Operating system

Some of the important roles of an operating system are listed below:

Provides the instructions to display the on-screen elements with which you interact. Collectively, these elements are known as the user interface.

  • Load programs (such as word processing and spreadsheet programs) into the computer's memory so that you can use them.
  • Controls the flow of data into and out of the computer, as well as to and from peripheral devices.
  • Responsible for managing the data stored on the secondary storage.
  • Provides security by preventing unauthorised access to the computer's resources.
  • Monitors the status of critical computer components to detect failures that affect processing.
  • Assign processors to different tasks being performed by the computer system.

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