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2. What is an operating system?

An operating system is the core software that allows a computer to run as an useful device. It manages the hardware, the user interface and all other software running on the computer.

Without an operating system, a computer is just a collection of components heating up the room as no-one would be able to make any practical use of the machine.

A large number of operating systems have been developed over the years; each designed with a certain kind of computer in mind. For instance:

  • Windows or Linux - for personal computers
  • MacOS - for Macs
  • Unix - for mainframes
  • Symbian, Android - for mobile phones

Although these operating systems have been developed to work with very different types of computers, they all share a number of common functions:

  • Providing a user interface
  • Managing the computer's memory
  • Managing the hardware

 

Challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you

Click on this link: Operating System