WHAT IS OPERATING SYSTEM

1. What is an Operating System ?

An Operating System is a set of programs that controls and coordinates the use of computer hardware among various application programs. It provides an environment within which user can execute programs. A computer can be divided into four components : the hardware, the operating system, the applications programs, the users. It is the operating system that manages all the above components.

The various functions of the operating system are :

*.Controlling Input/Output devices (Keybd, Mouse Monitor, Printer, Plotter etc..)
*.Memory and File storage management
*.CPU Scheduling and controlling processes
*.Loading, initiating, executing and supervising user
*.Handling errors and restarting
*.Providing command interface between user and computer system

Examples of Operating system are : UNIX (Solaris, IRIX,HPUnix, Linux, DEC Unix) Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS), WIN95/98, WIN NT, OS/2 etc.