What Is an Operating System and What Does It Do?Posted by Ellison Juul on May 11th, 2021 What is a computer operating system and where may i find a list of them? The question "What is an operating system?" is one I get asked often and I have even been told previously while trying to sort out a customer's problem that their operating system is Google when actually that is the browser they're using not the operating-system. (Google has an open source operating-system called Chrome OS I will state) That seems to be the problem people but computers and no one ever tells them the fundamentals of what they are using. Once paid for more info of forgotten and left to fend on your own. So lets clear it and go through the main operating systems and just what they are and do. What operating systems is there?? There are many different os's out there but the ones you will be familiar with by name will probably be: Microsoft Windows 95 Microsoft windows XP Microsoft windows ME Microsoft Windows Vista Microsoft Windows 7 Microsoft windows 8 (due for release later this year possibly October) Mac OS 8 Mac OS 9 Mac OS X Solaris Ubuntu Fedora Open Suse Free BSD Symbian Android Palm The list goes on but most of the well-known ones are there. Ok but simply what is an operating system? It is a complex group of programs that can manage and control your personal computer hardware resources and software. This means they can provide services to programs you operate on your computer. OK so maybe that has been not that simple. Think about more info as the middle man in the middle of your physical hardware in your personal computer and the game or software you want to run. You open your game or your program and this could be the conversation between your game/program, windows and the hardware. Program: Hey windows I wish to run is it possible to sort me out some resources. Windows: Sure what do you need? Program: I possibly could do with some memory, a little bit of processing power and some place to store my setting in the event that's ok? Windows: Let me make an appointment with hardware and see what we are able to do. Program Pete: Cheers *Windows goes to talk to Hardware* Windows: Hey hardware hows it heading down there? Program Pete is at it again "get me this get me that" are you experiencing some free resources? Hardware: He never leaves me alone does he. Simply tell him he can use 100% of the processor if he needs it as nobody else is deploying it at the minute but if anti-virus Annie will come in he will have to share it with her. Tell him he is able to have half the memory too and as much storage as he wants within reason. Windows Operating System Security : Cheers hardware I'll let him know and allocate it to him *Windows goes back to Program Pete* Windows: Right Pete here's what I can do for but is another person comes along you will definitely have to share the resources. *Uri USB is plugged in and anti-virus Annie wakes up* URI and Annie together: Can we please involve some resources!! Program Pete: *sigh* now its going to take me a nano second longer to do my task because I must share with those two So the conversation continues.... It may sound silly but if you wish to make it really basic this is pretty much what is happening although granted how it happens is very complex. Without the operating-system the programs you use would not be able to run as they would not manage to talk to the hardware which explains why you will find almost every desktop computer, laptop, cellular phone, iPad smart phone has an operating system. Are there any free operating systems out there? There are lots of free ones on the market and over the years they have more and more compatible with software we use on a regular basis. Including the new Raspberry pi includes a Linux that is free and permits you to do all the basics such as go on the internet create documents. Below is a list of a number of the free Linux ones on the market Fedora Open Solaris Ubuntu Free BSD Chrome OS Haiku There are many more on the market this is only a sample of the very most popular. You will find arguments on multilple web sites on os's that cost vs free operating systems so I wont go into it here but I will say if you are likely to move to free software be sure to do your research. The most important thing to remember is Linux is not windows and is quite different so be ready for a learning curve. Ok so these all go on my computer just what exactly are mobile operating systems? Mobile operating systems are much the same as an operating system for your desktop or laptop but they are designed for tablets, PDA`s or cell phones. These tend to combine numerous features such as for example touch-screen, Bluetooth, GPRS, camcorders, cameras and many other features. The most typical mobile operating systems are: Android - Open source from Google Blackberry iOS Apple closed source applied to iPhones, iPads. Symbian - Utilized by Nokia Windows phone - Closed source software from Microsoft. How do I find out what operating system I am using If using a smart phone or iPad you have to be able to determine what you are running from the above list. On a Mac you're probably to be using OS X snow leopard. To find out what you are running on a windows based machine discover the my computer Icon on your desktop (if it's not on your desktop press your start menu button/windows button and you should find My computer or computer on the right hand side). Use your right mouse button to click on it and choose properties. The screen that arises will tell you the operating system you are running.Like it? Share it! More by this author |