Role of the Operating System

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The Operating System

The computer needs an operating system to run effectively. There are a lot of operating systems to choose from, each with it's uses:

Windows - PC

Linux - PC

MacOS - Macs

Unix - Mainframes

Android - Phones

All provide a user interface and they manage the computers memory and hardware.

The user interface is important because it is the way that the user can interact with the computer. There are lots of different types of interface but the most common is Graphical User Interface (GUI), it allows you to create and manage the windows on your screen and also gives you features like icons on the desktop and scroll bars.

Memory Management is the most important use of the OS. when you open an icon the OS loads the necessary memory, however as you use the application the OS may need to load additional memory modules. When some of the features haven';t been used for a while the OS will remove them to free up memory.

Hardware management is also important, the OS controls the way the hardware and software interact. Each piece of hardware has a device-driver, this is the software need to use the hardware and acts as a go-between for other software to communicate with the hardware. Most device-drivers are loaded when the OS boots up but some will only load when a piece of hardware is connected e.g. a memory stick.

The OS also handles files, security, allocating resources e.g. disk space, scheduling the CPU processing cycles, moves data and provides services.