What is Operating System?
Types of OS &
Features
What is an Operating System?
An Operating system (OS) is a software which acts as an interface between the end user
and computer hardware. Every computer must have at least one OS to run other programs.
An application likes Chrome(Browser), MS Word(MS Office Suite), Games, etc needs some
environment in which it will run and perform its task. The OS helps you to communicate with
the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's language. It is not possible for
the user to use any computer or mobile device without having an operating system.
Introduction Operating System
Examples of Operating System with Market Share
History Of OS
Features of Operating System
What is a Kernel?
Functions of an Operating System
Types of Operating system
Difference between Firmware and Operating System
Difference between 32-Bit vs. 64 Bit Operating System
The advantage of using Operating System
Disadvantages of using Operating System
Examples of Operating System with Market Share
Here is a list of Operating Systems with the latest MarketShare
OS Name Share
Windows 40.34
Android 37.95
iOS 15.44
Mac OS 4.34
Linux 0.95
Chrome OS 0.14
Windows Phone OS 0.06
History Of OS
Operating systems were first developed in the late 1950s to manage tape storage
The General Motors Research Lab implemented the first OS in the early 1950s for
their IBM 701
In the mid-1960s, operating systems started to use disks
In the late 1960s, the first version of the Unix OS was developed
The first OS built by Microsoft was DOS. It was built in 1981 by purchasing the 86-
DOS software from a Seattle company
The present-day popular OS Windows first came to existence in 1985 when a GUI
was created and paired with MS-DOS.
Features of Operating System
Here is a list commonly found important features of an Operating System:
Protected and supervisor mode
Allows disk access and file systems Device drivers Networking Security
Program Execution
Memory management Virtual Memory Multitasking
Handling I/O operations
Manipulation of the file system
Error Detection and handling
Resource allocation
Information and Resource Protection
What is a Kernel?
The kernel is the central component of a computer operating systems. The only job
performed by the kernel is to the manage the communication between the software and the
hardware. A Kernel is at the nucleus of a computer. It makes the communication between
the hardware and software possible. While the Kernel is the innermost part of an operating
system, a shell is the outermost one.
Features of Kennel
Low-level scheduling of processes
Inter-process communication
Process synchronization
Context switching
Types of Kernels
There are many types of kernels that exists, but among them, the two most popular kernels
are:
1.Monolithic
A monolithic kernel is a single code or block of the program. It provides all the required
services offered by the operating system. It is a simplistic design which creates a distinct
communication layer between the hardware and software.
2. Microkernels
Microkernel manages all system resources. In this type of kernel, services are implemented
in different address space. The user services are stored in user address space, and kernel
services are stored under kernel address space. So, it helps to reduce the size of both the
kernel and operating system.
Functions of an Operating System
Fu
Function of an Operating System
In an operating system software performs each of the function:
1. Process management:- Process management helps OS to create and delete
processes. It also provides mechanisms for synchronization and communication
among processes.
2. Memory management:- Memory management module performs the task of
allocation and de-allocation of memory space to programs in need of this resources.
3. File management:- It manages all the file-related activities such as organization
storage, retrieval, naming, sharing, and protection of files.
4. Device Management: Device management keeps tracks of all devices. This module
also responsible for this task is known as the I/O controller. It also performs the task
of allocation and de-allocation of the devices.
5. I/O System Management: One of the main objects of any OS is to hide the
peculiarities of that hardware devices from the user.
6. Secondary-Storage Management: Systems have several levels of storage which
includes primary storage, secondary storage, and cache storage. Instructions and
data must be stored in primary storage or cache so that a running program can
reference it.
7. Security:- Security module protects the data and information of a computer system
against malware threat and authorized access.
8. Command interpretation: This module is interpreting commands given by the and
acting system resources to process that commands.
9. Networking: A distributed system is a group of processors which do not share
memory, hardware devices, or a clock. The processors communicate with one
another through the network.
10. Job accounting: Keeping track of time & resource used by various job and users.
11. Communication management: Coordination and assignment of compilers,
interpreters, and another software resource of the various users of the computer
systems.
Types of Operating system
Batch Operating System
Multitasking/Time Sharing OS
Multiprocessing OS
Real Time OS
Distributed OS
Network OS
Mobile OS
Batch Operating System
Some computer processes are very lengthy and time-consuming. To speed the same
process, a job with a similar type of needs are batched together and run as a group.
The user of a batch operating system never directly interacts with the computer. In this type
of OS, every user prepares his or her job on an offline device like a punch card and submit
it to the computer operator.
Multi-Tasking/Time-sharing Operating systems
Time-sharing operating system enables people located at a different terminal(shell) to use a
single computer system at the same time. The processor time (CPU) which is shared
among multiple users is termed as time sharing.
Real time OS
A real time operating system time interval to process and respond to inputs is very small.
Examples: Military Software Systems, Space Software Systems.
Distributed Operating System
Distributed systems use many processors located in different machines to provide very fast
computation to its users.
Network Operating System
Network Operating System runs on a server. It provides the capability to serve to manage
data, user, groups, security, application, and other networking functions.
Mobile OS
Mobile operating systems are those OS which is especially that are designed to power
smartphones, tablets, and wearables devices.
Some most famous mobile operating systems are Android and iOS, but others include
BlackBerry, Web, and watchOS.
Difference between Firmware and Operating System
Firmware Operating System
Firmware is one kind of programming that OS provides functionality over and above
is embedded on a chip in the device which that which is provided by the firmware.
controls that specific device.
Firmware is programs that been encoded OS is a program that can be installed by
by the manufacture of the IC or something the user and can be changed.
and cannot be changed.
It is stored on non-volatile memory. OS is stored on the hard drive.
Difference between 32-Bit vs. 64 Bit Operating System
Parameters 32. Bit 64. Bit
Architecture and Allow 32 bit of data processing Allow 64 bit of data
Software simultaneously processing simultaneously
Compatibility 32-bit applications require 32-bit OS 64-bit applications require a
and CPUs. 64-bit OS and CPU.
Systems All versions of Windows 8, Windows Windows XP Professional,
Available 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP, Vista, 7, Mac OS X and
Linux, etc. Linux.
Memory Limits 32-bit systems are limited to 3.2 GB 64-bit systems allow a
of RAM. maximum 17 Billion GB of
RAM.
The advantage of using Operating System
Allows you to hide details of hardware by creating an abstraction
Easy to use with a GUI
Offers an environment in which a user may execute programs/applications
The operating system must make sure that the computer system convenient to use
Operating System acts as an intermediary among applications and the hardware
components
It provides the computer system resources with easy to use format
Acts as an intermediator between all hardware's and software's of the system
Disadvantages of using Operating System
If any issue occurs in OS, you may lose all the contents which have been stored in
your system
Operating system's software is quite expensive for small size organization which
adds burden on them. Example Windows
It is never entirely secure as a threat can occur at any time
Summary
An operating system is a software which acts as an interface between the end user
and computer hardware
Operating systems were first developed in the late 1950s to manage tape storage
The kernel is the central component of a computer operating systems. The only job
performed by the kernel is to the manage the communication between the software
and the hardware
Two most popular kernels are Monolithic and MicroKernels
Process, Device, File, I/O, Secondary-Storage, Memory management are various
functions of an Operating System
Batch, Multitasking/Time Sharing, Multiprocessing, Real Time, Distributed, Network,
Mobile are various types of Operating Systems
