Q. Introduction to the Operating System?

An Operating system is software that creates a relation between the User, Hardware and Software. It is an interface between the all. All the computers require basic software known as an Operating System (OS) to function. The OS acts as an interface between the User, Application Programs, Hardware and the System Peripherals. The Operating System is the first software to be loaded when a computers starts up. The complete application programs are loaded after the Operating System. Whenever an application requires information it requests the Operating System which in turn queries the System clock on the motherboard. User interacts with the computer through the OS afterwards OS interprets inputs given by a user through the Keyboard, Mouse or various input device and takes appropriate actions.

An Operating System can be of Three Types:

Single User MS-Win 95-98, MS-dos and Win-ME

Multi User Linux, UNIX and XENIX

Network Win-NT, Win-2000-2003and Novel Netware

1. Single User: If the single user operating system is loaded in computer's memory then the computer would be able to handle one user at a time.

2. Multi user: If the multi-user operating system is loaded in computer's memory then the computer would be able to handle more than one user at a time.

3. Network: If the network operating system is loaded in computer's memory then the computer would be able to handle more than one computer at time.