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Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features Try the new Google Books Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features /en/computerbasics/mobile-devices/content/ What is an operating system?An operating system is the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages the computer's memory and processes, as well as all of its software and hardware. It also allows you to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's language. Without an operating
system, a computer is useless. Watch the video below to learn more about operating systems. Looking for the old version of this video? You can still view it here. The operating system's jobYour computer's operating system (OS) manages all of the software and hardware on the computer. Most of the time, there are several different computer programs running at the same time, and they all need to access your computer's central processing unit (CPU), memory, and storage. The operating system coordinates all of this to make sure each program gets what it needs. Types of operating systemsOperating systems usually come pre-loaded on any computer you buy. Most people use the operating system that comes with their computer, but it's possible to upgrade or even change operating systems. The three most common operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux. Modern operating systems use a graphical user interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey). A GUI lets you use your mouse to click icons, buttons, and menus, and everything is clearly displayed on the screen using a combination of graphics and text. Each operating system's GUI has a different look and feel, so if you switch to a different operating system it may seem unfamiliar at first. However, modern operating systems are designed to be easy to use, and most of the basic principles are the same. Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft created the Windows operating system in the mid-1980s. There have been many different versions of Windows, but the most recent ones are Windows 10 (released in 2015), Windows 8 (2012), Windows 7 (2009), and Windows Vista (2007). Windows comes pre-loaded on most new PCs, which helps to make it the most popular operating system in the world. Check out our tutorials on Windows Basics and specific Windows versions for more information. macOSmacOS (previously called OS X) is a line of operating systems created by Apple. It comes preloaded on all Macintosh computers, or Macs. Some of the specific versions include Mojave (released in 2018), High Sierra (2017), and Sierra (2016). According to StatCounter Global Stats, macOS users account for less than 10% of global operating systems—much lower than the percentage of Windows users (more than 80%). One reason for this is that Apple computers tend to be more expensive. However, many people do prefer the look and feel of macOS over Windows. Check out our macOS Basics tutorial for more information. LinuxLinux (pronounced LINN-ux) is a family of open-source operating systems, which means they can be modified and distributed by anyone around the world. This is different from proprietary software like Windows, which can only be modified by the company that owns it. The advantages of Linux are that it is free, and there are many different distributions—or versions—you can choose from. According to StatCounter Global Stats, Linux users account for less than 2% of global operating systems. However, most servers run Linux because it's relatively easy to customize. To learn more about different distributions of Linux, visit the Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Fedora websites, or refer to our Linux Resources. For a more comprehensive list, you can visit MakeUseOf's list of The Best Linux Distributions. Operating systems for mobile devicesThe operating systems we've been talking about so far were designed to run on desktop and laptop computers. Mobile devices such as phones, tablet computers, and MP3 players are different from desktop and laptop computers, so they run operating systems that are designed specifically for mobile devices. Examples of mobile operating systems include Apple iOS and Google Android. In the screenshot below, you can see iOS running on an iPad. Operating systems for mobile devices generally aren't as fully featured as those made for desktop and laptop computers, and they aren't able to run all of the same software. However, you can still do a lot of things with them, like watch movies, browse the Web, manage your calendar, and play games. To learn more about mobile operating systems, check out our Mobile Devices tutorials. /en/computerbasics/understanding-applications/content/ Learning ObjectivesAfter studying this section you should be able to do the following:
Computing hardware needs to be controlled, and that’s the role of the operating system. The operating system (sometimes called the “OS”) provides a common set of controls for managing computer hardware, making it easier for users to interact with computers and for programmers to write application software. Just about every computing device has an operating system—desktops and laptops, enterprise-class server computers, your mobile phone. Even specialty devices like iPods, video game consoles, and television set top boxes run some form of OS. Some firms, like Apple and Nintendo, develop their own proprietary OS for their own hardware. Microsoft sells operating systems to everyone from Dell to the ATM manufacturer Diebold (listen for the familiar Windows error beep on some cash machines). And there are a host of specialty firms, such as Wind River (purchased by Intel), that help firms develop operating systems for all sorts of devices that don’t necessarily look like a PC, including cars, video editing systems, and fighter jet control panels. Anyone who has used both a PC and a Mac and has noticed differences across these platforms can get a sense of the breadth of what an operating system does. Even for programs that are otherwise identical for these two systems (like the Firefox browser), subtitle differences are visible. Screen elements like menus, scroll bars, and window borders look different on the Mac than they do in Windows. So do the dialogue boxes that show up when you print or save. These items look and behave differently because each of these functions touches the hardware, and the team that developed Microsoft Windows created a system distinctly different from their Macintosh counterparts at Apple. Graphical user interface (UI) items like scroll bars and menus are displayed on the hardware of the computer display. Files are saved to the hardware of a hard drive or other storage device. Most operating systems also include control panels, desktop file management, and other support programs to work directly with hardware elements like storage devices, displays, printers, and networking equipment. The Macintosh Finder and the Windows Explorer are examples of components of these operating systems. The consistent look, feel, and functionality that operating systems enforce across various programs help make it easier for users to learn new software, which reduces training costs and operator error. See Figure 9.2 for similarities and differences. Figure 9.2 Differences between the Windows and Mac operating systems are evident throughout the user interface, particularly when a program interacts with hardware. Operating systems are also designed to give programmers a common set of commands to consistently interact with the hardware. These commands make a programmer’s job easier by reducing program complexity and making it faster to write software while minimizing the possibility of errors in code. Consider what an OS does for the Wii game developer. Nintendo’s Wii OS provides Wii programmers with a set of common standards to use to access the Wiimote, play sounds, draw graphics, save files, and more. Without this, games would be a lot more difficult to write, they’d likely look differently, be less reliable, would cost more, and there would be fewer titles available. Similarly, when Apple provided developers with a common set of robust, easy-to-use standards for the iPhone and (via the App Store) an easy way for users to install these applications on top of the iPhone/iPod touch OS, software development boomed, and Apple became hands-down the most versatile mobile computing device available1. In Apple’s case, some fifty thousand apps became available through the App Store in less than a year. A good OS and software development platform can catalyze network effects (see Chapter 6 “Understanding Network Effects”). While the OS seems geeky, its effective design has very strategic business implications! Figure 9.3 Operating System Market Share for Desktop, Server, and Mobile Phones Data provided by HitsLink Market Share, Forrester Research, IDC, and AdMob2. Firmware and Embedded SystemsMost personal computers have an operating system installed on their hard drives. This system allows the OS to be replaced or upgraded easily. But many smaller, special-purpose computing devices have their operating systems installed on nonvolatile memory, often on read-only memory (ROM) chips. Control programs stored on chips are sometimes referred to as firmware. The OS in an iPod, mobile phone, or your TV’s set-top box is most likely stored as firmware. Your PC also has a tiny bit of firmware that allows it to do very basic functions like start-up (boot) and begin loading its operating system from disk. Another term you might hear is embedded systems. As computing gets cheaper, special-purpose technology is increasingly becoming embedded into all sorts of devices like cars, picture frames, aircraft engines, photocopiers, and heating and air conditioning systems. The software programs that make up embedded systems are often stored as firmware too. Moore’s Law (see Chapter 5 “Moore’s Law: Fast, Cheap Computing and What It Means for the Manager”) enables embedded systems, and these systems can create real strategic value. The Otis Elevator Company, a division of United Technologies, uses embedded systems in its products to warn its service centers when the firm’s elevators, escalators, and moving walkways need maintenance or repair. This warning provides Otis with several key benefits:
Collectively, software embedded on tiny chips yields very big benefits, for years helping Otis remain at the top of its industry. Key Takeaways
Questions and Exercises
1The iPhone and iPod touch OS is derived from Apple’s Mac OS X operating system. 2Data for desktop, server, and mobile phones from 2009, 2008, and 2009, respectively. Desktop operating system data from Market Share, “Operating System Market Share,” 2009, //marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10 mobile phone data from AdMob Mobile Metrics Report, 2009, //metrics.admob.com. Some operating systems allow users to control a network and administer security. Not all computer and mobile devices have an operating system. The start-up process is similar for large and small computers and mobile devices. Operating systems on embedded computers use a multitasking operating system. When you purchase a computer, it usually includes a boot disk. Users today typically run multiple programs concurrently. Even if users are working on multiple programs simultaneously, it is impossible to run out of RAM. Operating systems rarely provide a means to establish Internet connections. The network uses the operating system on the network to configure the network, install software, and control network security. What happens if your computer or mobile device uses up its available RAM? The computer or mobile device shuts down. It is impossible to run out of RAM. A performance monitor is a program that assesses and reports information about various computer resources and devices. Do all computers and mobile devices have an operating system?Not all computer and mobile devices have an operating system. The start-up process is similar for large and small computers and mobile devices. Operating systems on embedded computers use a multitasking operating system. The computer may run slower while it uses virtual memory.
When you purchase a computer it usually includes a boot disk?When you purchase a computer, it usually includes a boot disk. Users today typically run multiple programs concurrently. Even if users are working on multiple programs simultaneously, it is impossible to run out of RAM. Operating systems rarely provide a means to establish Internet connections.
What happens if your computer or mobile device uses its available RAM?The network uses the operating system on the network to configure the network, install software, and control network security. What happens if your computer or mobile device uses up its available RAM? The computer or mobile device shuts down. It is impossible to run out of RAM.
Which of the following is not true about an operating system?Detailed Solution. Option 1: It ensures that computer system components like hard disk and RAM never crash or malfunction. False, An operating system (OS) is system software that manages or ensures computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs.
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