What Is an Operating System and What Does It Do?Posted by Ellison Juul on May 12th, 2021 What is a computer operating-system and where may i find a listing of them? The question "What is an operating system?" is one I get asked often and I have even been told during the past while trying to straighten 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 does have an open source operating system called Chrome OS I will state) That appears to be the problem people but computers and no one ever tells them the basics of what they're using. Once paid for you're sort of forgotten and left to fend for yourself. So lets clear it and go through the main operating systems and exactly what they are and do. What operating systems are there?? There are many different os's out there however the ones you will be acquainted with by name is going to 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's an operating system? It is a complex set of programs that are designed to manage and control your computer hardware resources and software. This means they are able to provide services to programs you operate on your computer. OK so maybe that was not that simple. Think of it as the middle man between your physical hardware in your computer and the overall game or software you need 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 would like to run can you sort me out some resources. Windows: Sure what do you want? Program: I could do with a bit of memory, a bit of processing power and some spot to store my setting in the event that's ok? Windows: Let me make an appointment with hardware and see what we can do. Program Pete: Cheers *Windows goes to talk to Hardware* Windows: Hey hardware hows it heading down there? Program Pete reaches 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 is able to use 100% of the processor if he needs it as nobody else is using it at when but if anti-virus Annie will come in he will need to share it with her. Simply tell him he is able to have half the memory too so when much storage as he wants within reason. Windows: Cheers hardware I am going to tell him and allocate it to him *Windows dates back to Program Pete* Windows: Right Pete here's what I can do for but is someone else comes along you are going to need to share the resources. *Uri USB is plugged in and anti-virus Annie wakes up* URI and Annie together: Can we please have some resources!! Additional info : *sigh* now its likely to take me a nano second longer to accomplish my task because I must share with those two So the conversation continues.... It could sound silly but if you want to make it really basic that is pretty much what is happening although granted how it happens is quite complex. Without the operating system the programs you use wouldn't normally be able to run because they would not be able to talk to the hardware which explains why you will find pretty much every desktop computer, laptop, cellular phone, iPad smart phone has an operating system. Are there any free operating systems out there? There are many free ones out there and over the years they have more and more appropriate for software we use regularly. For example the new Raspberry pi comes with a Linux which is free and lets you do all the basics such as for example go on the web create documents. Below is a set of some of the free Linux ones out there Fedora Open Solaris Ubuntu Free BSD Chrome OS Haiku There are many more out there this is only a sample of the most popular. You can find arguments all over the internet on os's that cost vs free operating systems so I wont go into it here but I'll say if you are going to move to free software make sure you do your research. The most important thing to remember is Linux isn't windows and is quite different so be ready for a learning curve. Ok so these all go on my computer so what are mobile operating systems? Mobile operating systems are quite similar as an operating system for your desktop or laptop but they were created for tablets, PDA`s or mobile phones. These tend to combine many features such as touch-screen, Bluetooth, GPRS, camcorders, cameras and many other features. The most common 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 smartphone or iPad you ought to be able to determine what you're running from the above list. On a Mac you're most likely to be using OS X snow leopard. To find out everything you are running on a windows based machine find the my computer Icon on your own desktop (if it's not on your own desktop press your start menu button/windows button and you ought to find My computer or computer on the proper hand side). Use your right mouse button to select 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 |