What is an Operating System?
Image by Missoula Children's Theater
Operating system software is a key part of all computers. But what are they and how do they work?
Almost all computers have an operating system, also called an OS, to act as a stage on which software applications are run. Common operating systems are Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux.
When you press a button to start your computer, however, the OS is not the first software to run. Your computer hardware must run software to check key parts of the hardware are present and working before the operating system is run. The process of running software to check key parts of your computer is called booting up.
What does an operating system do?
Once your computer checks key parts of your hardware work, the operating system is started so your other software has a platform to work on. If you use an email software program and want to print an email, for example, your computer operating system communicates with your software and a printer to print the email.
Other critical tasks managed by your OS include connecting to the internet or other computers, managing memory used by your software applications, and reading and writing files.
How do operating systems differ from software applications like Microsoft Word?
Your OS provides a platform, really a set of services and capabilities, used by Word and other software application. The OS takes orders from your applications, executes the orders, and returns any messages that result. Microsoft Word is a word processing application that makes it easy to create documents. It does not connect to the internet, for example, or fetch data from computer files. Word does request the operating system fetch files which Word then reads and lets you change. When you save your changes, Word works with your operating system to save your document file.
Can you run a computer without an operating system?
Primitive computers can run without an operating system. However, the basic software that runs when you press a button to start your computer must always check hardware is present and works. Primitive computers might include small devices with sensors and embedded software which are part of the Internet of Things (IoT). However, even these connected devices use small operating systems to handle common tasks needed by software applications in the embedded devices.
Operating systems and software applications exist to handle different kinds of work. Common tasks, for example, managing printers or connectivity, are best handled by one type of software, an operating system, for the benefit of all software applications that run on the computer. Otherwise, every software application would include code to manage printers, in addition to managing print requests. It’s more efficient to have operating systems manage printers for all software applications.
Learn More
Operating System
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system
http://homepage.cs.uri.edu/faculty/wolfe/book/Readings/Reading07.htm
How to Operate a Computer Without an Operating System
http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/249915/how-to-operate-a-computer-without-an-operating-system
http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/171127/how-do-operating-systems-run-without-having-an-os-to-run-in
How Computers Boot Up
http://duartes.org/gustavo/blog/post/how-computers-boot-up/
Author
Also In The October 2015 Issue
October 2015 Issue: Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things (IoT) connects dumb devices like refrigerators to the internet and uses software to connect them to our daily lives.
There are many operating systems for internet of things devices, from existing software used to control electronic boards to efforts by Google and Apple.
Disney Infinity 3.0, Rocket League, and Super Mario Maker are three fun video games to consider for the 2015 holiday season
You can learn a little software programming and have lots of fun with any number of coding apps available for your phone or tablet computer.
Operating system software is a key part of all computers. But what are they and how do they work?
Learning how to make kittens with JavaScript is a great way to learn how to use the free Chrome web browser to practice and learn JavaScript.
Working through a book can help parents learn programming with their kids or kids learn on their own.
Board games and card games are some of the best ways to learn about programming. You don't need a computer. Play as a family or group.
These robots also can be programmed to move around rooms, one way for kids to learn programming.
Six women were hired to use their math skills to program the ENIAC computer. They called themselves The First Programmers Club.
Nicky is a Linguistics major who learned coding skills to further her research. She's also finished a PhD, won a few big awards, and co-founded Grok Learning.
Two women created an innovative online service to teach teenage girls how to code by using video.
The new Rust programming language is designed to solve problems with operating systems and fix issues with C and other languages.
Data can become alive and pose questions as well as reveal answers to questions we have.
Links from the bottom of all the articles in this issue, collected in one place for you to print, share, or bookmark.
DRY is an acronym for Don't Repeat Yourself. It's a critical programming concept and skill to learn.
Interesting news stories about computer science, software programming, and technology for August and September 2015.
CoderDojo is a free after school club for kids ages 7-17 where kids, parents, mentors, and others play with technology and learn to code.
