Understanding Operating Systems: Functions and Uses

Operating Systems

If you have a computer, then you have heard about operating systems. Any desktop or laptop PC that you buy normally comes pre-loaded with Windows XP. Macintosh computers come pre-loaded with OS X. Many corporate servers use the Linux or UNIX operating systems. The operating system (OS) is the first thing loaded onto the computer. Without the operating system, a computer is useless. At the simplest level, an operating system does two things:

• It manages the hardware and software resources of the system. In a desktop computer, these resources include such things as the processor, memory, and disk space. On a cell phone, they include the keypad, the screen, the address book, the phone dialer, the battery, and the network connection.
• It provides a stable, consistent way for applications to deal with the hardware without having to know all the details of the hardware.

More recently, operating systems have started to pop up in smaller computers as well. If you like to tinker with electronic devices, you are probably pleased that operating systems can now be found on many of the devices we use every day, from cell phones to wireless access points. The computers used in these little devices have gotten so powerful that they can now run an operating system and applications. The computer in a typical modern cell phone is now more powerful than a desktop computer from 20 years ago, so this progression makes sense and is a natural development. In any device that has an operating system, there's usually a way to make changes to how the device works.

Not all computers have operating systems. The computer that controls the microwave oven in your kitchen, for example, doesn't need an operating system. It has one set of tasks to perform, very straightforward input to expect (a numbered keypad and a few pre-set buttons), and simple, never-changing hardware to control. For a computer like this, an operating system would be unnecessary baggage, driving up the development and manufacturing costs significantly and adding complexity where none is required. Instead, the computer in a microwave oven simply runs a single hard-wired program all the time.

For other devices, an operating system creates the ability to:

• Serve a variety of purposes
• Interact with users in more complicated ways
• Keep up with needs that change over time

Key Terms:

1. Software: The variable part of a computer
2. Internet: A worldwide, publicly accessible network
3. Network: Computer systems linked together to share information and resources
4. WWW: Allows end users to access data
5. USB: Universally compatible connection
6. Hardware: Physical components of technological items
7. C++: A programming language
8. Turn on: To start something
9. Shut down: To turn off something
10. Computer programmer: Designs, writes, and tests computer programs