CSC 102 : INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

History and Fundamentals of Operating Systems An operating system is a program that acts as an intermediary between a user of a computer and the computer hardware. The purpose of an operating system is to provide an environment in which a user can execute program. This is achieved via a low-level software approach that enables a user and higher-level application software to interact with a computer's hardware and the data and other programs stored on the computer. The OS manages the hardware and software resources of a computer. It performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing the processing of instructions, controlling input and output devices, facilitating networking, and managing files. An operating system is an important part of almost every computer system. A computer system can be divided roughly into (4) four components: the hardware, the operating system, the applications programs, and the users. i. The hardware, the central processing unit (CPU), the memory, and the input / output (I/O) devices - provides the basic computing resources. ii. The applications programs. Such as compilers, database systems, games, and business programs define the ways in which these resources are used to solve the computing problems of the users. iii. An operating system is a control program. A control program controls the execution of user programs to prevent errors and improper use of the computer. It is especially concerned with the operation and control of I/O devices. A more common definition is that the operating system is the one program running at all times on the computer (usually called the kernel), with all else being applications