Introduction of Operating System

Introduction

When a computer starts up a small program loads the operating system. Operating system provides a platform for the computer users to operate the computer. OS is a software program that enables the computer hardware to operate and communicate with the software in the computer.Operating systems offer a number of services to application programs and users. Applications access these services through application programming interfaces (APIs) or system calls. By invoking these interfaces, the application can request a service from the operating system, pass parameters, and receive the results of the operation. Users may also interact with the operating system by typing commands or using a graphical user interface (GUI, commonly pronounced “gooey”). For hand-held and desktop computers, the GUI is generally considered part of the operating system. For large multi-user systems, the GUI is generally implemented as an application program that runs outside the operating system. Common types of the operating system include UNIX, Linux, OS/8, MS-DOS, Sun Solaris, MAC and Windows. There are different types of the Windows based operating systems that start from Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows ME, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Server, and Windows 2003 Server to Windows Vista. Microsoft’s Windows flavors are the most commonly used operating systems in the world due to the number of features such as user friendly interface, multitasking, security, reliability, entertainment, communication, performance and other features. In this section you will learn the Windows based operating system’s tips/tricks, configurations and different types of connectivity, performance, security and troubleshooting related techniques.

An operating system is build up of different settings and configurations that includes the COM objects, file system, drivers, processes, services, shares, storage, users, events, start menu and other settings etc. Operating systems set the standards for the application programs that run in the computer. There are different tasks that are performed by the operating system such as job management, security, task management, data management, devices management, user management, multitasking and application handling etc. Without an OS, a computer is a useless.

Types

There are different types of the operating systems that can be classified based on the following things.

Multitasking
Multi Threading
Multi User
Real Time
Networking
GUI
Security

Microsoft Windows Operating System

Windows 95
Microsoft launched an advanced Window in 1995 which was Windows 1995. It had 32-bit file system and could run programs that were written in MS-DOS.
Windows 98
An enhanced and highly developed version of Windows 95 was released in 1998 which is known as Windows 98.
Windows NT
Windows New Technology is powerful system with multitasking functionality. Windows NT was specially designed for computer networking and also called client/server operating system.
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 has four products each with specific functionality.

• Windows 2000 professional
• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows 2000 Advanced server
• Windows 2000 Data Center

Windows XP
Windows XP is more advance and high functionality window that is used in homes, offices and business places.
Windows Vista
Latest windows operating system introduced in 2006. Windows Vista required high level of hardware compatibility.