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Examples of Operating System

The document discusses operating systems and provides examples. It explains that not all devices need an OS, using a microwave as an example. For computers, an OS allows serving various purposes, interacting with users in complex ways, and adapting to changing needs over time. The most common desktop OS are Windows, Mac OS, and various UNIX systems. There are also specialized OS for things like mainframes, robotics, and real-time control systems. The document then discusses the history and evolution of Windows and Linux, the two most widely used open source OS today.

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Aniket Shetye
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89 views

Examples of Operating System

The document discusses operating systems and provides examples. It explains that not all devices need an OS, using a microwave as an example. For computers, an OS allows serving various purposes, interacting with users in complex ways, and adapting to changing needs over time. The most common desktop OS are Windows, Mac OS, and various UNIX systems. There are also specialized OS for things like mainframes, robotics, and real-time control systems. The document then discusses the history and evolution of Windows and Linux, the two most widely used open source OS today.

Uploaded by

Aniket Shetye
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Examples of Operating system: Not all computers have operating system.

The computer that controls the microwave oven in your kitchen, doesnt need an OS. It has 1 set of task 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, OS would be unnecessary baggage. For other devices, an OS creates the ability to: Serve a variety of purposes Interact with users in more complicated ways Keep up with needs that change over time All desktop computers have OS. The most common are the Windows family of operating systems developed by Microsoft, the Macintosh operating systems developed by Apple and the UNIX family of operating systems (which have been developed by a whole history of individuals, corporations & collaborators). There are 100s of other OS available for special-purpose applications, including specializations for mainframes, robotics, manufacturing, real-time control systems & so on.

Windows: 1st version of Microsoft Windows hit the market in 1983. But unlike todays versions of Windows, Windows 1.0 was not an OS. It was a graphical user interface that worked with existing OS called MS-DOS. Not even Windows 3.0, which many people think of as the 1st real version of Windows. Its graphics were simpler and used fewer colors than todays user interfaces, & its windows could not overlap. Windows has changed considerably since then. In the last 20 years, Microsoft has released numerous full-fledged versions of OS. Microsofts newest version of its OS is Windows 7.

Linux: Linus Torvalds was a student of Helsinki University, whose hobby was creating a Minix (a small POSIX distribution of UNIX) look-alike. He started working on the system in 1991 & continued until 1994 when he released the 1st version of Linux Kernel (the core of all Linux OS). Linus released this s/w as free open source software, so anyone can use it & modify it. All Linux systems are developed under General Public License (GPL). It has functionality & usability of modern commercial OS. There are several distributions: Red Hat, Mandrake, Debian, Gentoo, Slackware, SuSE, Ubuntu, & many, many more. Today Linux is known for its stability & its high-end performance.

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