OPERATING SYSTEMS
Operating systems are software aimed at the operational management of the resources of a computer system (operating system).
DOS.
Mac OS.
Windows.
Unix.
Linux.
OS2.
Mac OS X.
Ubuntu.
WHAT IS AN OPERATING SYSTEM?
In computer science, an operating system (commonly abbreviated with the terms SO or OS, from the English operating system, pronounced operèiting Sìstem) is a basic software used to manage the hardware and software resources of a computer. In other words, an operating system is the most important software of a PC that allows you to communicate with it without knowing how to speak the language of computers. Therefore, placing itself halfway between the hardware and all the remaining application software of the PC, the operating system represents a fundamental element without which any existing computer would become unusable.
Location of the operating system.
WHAT IS AN OPERATING SYSTEM USED FOR?
As already mentioned, the operating system manages all the hardware and software resources of a computer. In fact, almost always on a PC there are several programs running at the same time (called processes in jargon) and all of them must be able to access the processor, central memory and mass memory that make up the PC on duty. The task of an operating system is therefore to coordinate the necessary resources, controlling and managing both the hardware and the software, thus allowing those who use the computer to get what they need.
WHERE IS A COMPUTER'S OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLED?
The operating system is installed in the mass memory of the computer (that is, commonly, in the HDD or SSD) ready to be loaded by the BIOS into the main memory once the PC is started. For those who need it, two operating systems (in dual boot, pronounced dual but) or more operating systems (in multiboot, pronounced manybùt) can still be installed simultaneously on the same computer in order to choose which operating system to load at the PC startup.
WHICH ARE THE MOST POPULAR OPERATING SYSTEMS?
Operating systems are usually preloaded on computers that are on the market, thus giving people the ability to immediately use the purchased computer with the supplied operating system. However, if one wishes, it is possible to update or even change the operating system already present in one's PC.
Nowadays, almost all operating systems on the market use a graphical interface (also known as a GUI, pronounced gooey). A graphical interface allows you to operate your PC via a mouse so that you can click on icons, buttons and menus that are clearly displayed on the screen thanks to a combination of graphics and text. However, the graphical interface of each operating system changes both in terms of visual appearance and interaction mode, so if you switch to a different operating system, the usage environment may be unfamiliar, especially during the early days. Despite this, modern operating systems are designed to be easy to use and most of the basic principles are the same for everyone.
Although there are so many operating systems for PCs, essentially the most commonly used are only three, namely Microsoft Windows (pronounced màicrosoft uìndovs), macOS (pronounced mèch ou es) and Linux (pronounced linucs).
MICROSOFT WINDOWS
Microsoft created the Windows operating system in the mid-1980s. There have been many versions of Windows, but the most recent are Windows 10 (released in 2015), Windows 8 (released in 2012), Windows 7 (released in 2009), and Windows Vista (released in 2007). Windows is already installed on most new PCs, desktops and laptops, which helps make it the most popular operating system in the world.
MACOS
macOS is a line of operating systems created by the Apple (pronounced àppol, even if in Italian it is pronounced èppol) which is preloaded on all computers Macintosh (pronounced mèchintosh), commonly abbreviated to Mac (pronounced mèch). Some of the most popular versions of macOS are 10.14 (released in 2018), 10.13 (released in 2017) and 10.12 (released in 2016). According to the site StatCounter Global Stats , which analyzes traffic on the Web (pronounced ueb), macOS users represent less than 10% of operating systems globally, that is a much lower percentage than that of users who use Windows (which according to the same site is over 80%). One reason for this difference is that Apple computers tend to be more expensive than others. However, many people prefer to use the same macOS instead of Windows simply because they are more comfortable with macOS.
LINUX
Linux is a family of operating systems open source (pronounced open sòurs), which means that they can be modified and / or distributed by anyone who has the skills to do so. This possibility does not happen instead for a proprietary software , such as Windows, which can therefore only be modified by the company that owns it. The advantages of a Linux operating system are that it is completely free and there are many distributions , i.e. versions, to choose from. According to the StatCounter Global Stats website, Linux users represent less than 2% of operating systems globally. However, most of the server existing runs a Linux distribution since the latter allows for relatively easy customization of the operating system.
OPERATING SYSTEMS FOR MOBILE DEVICES
The operating systems discussed so far have been designed to work exclusively on desktop and notebook computers. Mobile devices such as cell phones, smartphones, tablets and MP3 players are different from desktop computers and notebooks, so they must run operating systems designed specifically for those devices. Among the most popular operating systems for mobile devices (also called mobile OS, pronounced mobàil ou es) there are iOS (pronounced ai or es), iPadOS (pronounced aipàd or es) and Android. Mobile operating systems are generally not as comprehensive as those made for traditional computers, nor are they capable of running the same applications designed for regular computers. Despite this, with an operating system for mobile devices it is still possible to do all the essential things that can be done with any PC, such as watching movies, surfing the Internet, managing e-mails, playing video games, writing documents, reading. some books, listening to music, and other things like that.
At this point, therefore, you should have finally understood what an operating system is.
