- Operating systems were first developed in the late 1950s to manage tape storage.
- The present-day popular OS Windows first came to existence in 1985 when a GUI was created and paired with MS-DOS.
An Operating System acts as a communication bridge (interface) between the user and computer hardware. The purpose of an operating system is to provide a platform on which a user can execute programs in a convenient and efficient manner.
An operating system is a software which performs all the basic tasks like file management, memory management, process management, handling input and output, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
Some popular Operating Systems include Linux Operating System, Windows Operating System, VMS, OS/400, AIX, z/OS, etc.
OS manages the following resources – input devices, output devices, storage devices, and network devices. Input devices include keyboard and mouse, output devices are monitors, printers, and scanners, and network device is the modem and so on.
Functions of an Operating System :
Following are some of important functions of an operating System :
- Memory Management
- Processor Management
- Device Management
- File Management
- Security
- Control over system performance
- Job accounting
- Error detecting aids
- Coordination between other software and users
Let us learn in brief.
1. Memory Management :
Main memory is a large array of words or bytes where each word or byte has its own address. Memory Management is the process of controlling and coordinating computer memory, assigning portions known as blocks to various running programs to optimize the overall performance of the system.
The memory management function keeps track of the status of each memory location, either allocated or free. It determines how memory is allocated among competing processes, deciding which gets memory, when they receive it, and how much they are allowed. When memory is allocated it determines which memory locations will be assigned.
2. Processor Management :
It Keeps tracks of processor and status of process. The program responsible for this task is known as traffic controller. Allocates the processor (CPU) to a process. De-allocates processor when a process is no longer required.
3. Device Management
An Operating System manages device communication via their respective drivers. Device management in operating system implies the management of the I/O devices such as a keyboard, magnetic tape, disk, printer, microphone, USB ports, scanner, camcorder etc.as well as the supporting units like control channels. It:
- Monitor the status of all devices, including storage drives, printers and other peripherals.
- Enforce pre-set policies on which process gets which device for how long.
- Deal with the allocation of devices to processes.
- Deal with the de-allocation of devices to processes, both at a temporary basis.
4. File Management :
- Keeps track of information, location, uses, status etc. The collective facilities are often known as file system.
- Decides who gets the resources.
- Allocates the resources.
- De-allocates the resources.
5. Security :
By means of password and similar other techniques, it prevents unauthorized access to programs and data.
6. Control over system performance :
Recording delays between request for a service and response from the system.
7. Job accounting :
Keeping track of time and resources used by various jobs and users.
8. Error detecting aids :
Production of dumps, traces, error messages, and other debugging and error detecting aids.
9. Coordination between other softwares and users :
Coordination and assignment of compilers, interpreters, assemblers and other software to the various users of the computer systems.
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