{"id":90245,"date":"2023-10-27T15:12:44","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T13:12:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/murena.com\/?p=90245"},"modified":"2023-10-27T19:17:58","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T17:17:58","slug":"what-is-an-operating-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/murenatest.com\/hi\/what-is-an-operating-system\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an operating system?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is an operating system?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First of all, let’s go back to the basics: what is an operating system?<\/span> By definition, an operating system (OS) is a set of programs that manage computer hardware and provide services to application software.
<\/span> The OS is essential software that acts as an intermediary between the user of a computer or smartphone and the hardware of that computer or smartphone.
<\/span> It manages and coordinates activities and shares the machine’s resources, making it easier for users to interact with programmes and hardware. The OS takes care of crucial functions, such as managing memory, processes, files and I\/O, and provides a user interface, whether graphical or command-based. Examples of OSes include Windows, macOS, Unix, Linux and Android.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a bit like the ‘conductor’ of a computer or telephone. It allows the user to launch various programs, it manages files, it ensures that the hardware is working properly and it provides an interface (like the desktop you click on, or a home screen with your applications) so that you can interact easily with your device. Think of the OS as the intermediary that translates your actions (like clicking on an icon) into instructions that the computer or phone can understand and execute.
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Here are some of the key functions of an operating system:<\/span><\/p>\n

– Processor management<\/strong>: It allocates processor time to different applications and processes.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Memory management<\/strong>: It controls the computer’s RAM memory, allocating space to applications when they need it and freeing it when they no longer do.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Peripheral management<\/strong>: Provides interfaces for interacting with devices such as hard disks, printers and screens.<\/span><\/p>\n

– File management<\/strong>: organises files on different storage devices, such as hard disks, and enables them to be created, read, written and deleted.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Security and access management<\/strong>: This protects the information stored in the system from unauthorised access and provides authentication mechanisms.<\/span><\/p>\n

– User interface<\/strong>: It generally provides an interface (which may be graphical or command-line based) so that users can interact with the computer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common examples of operating systems include Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. Operating systems should not be confused with software. The term software encompasses a broader set of digital instructions designed to make computers and smartphones work. All operating systems are software, but not all software is an operating system. Software can be any program, from your web browser to your favourite video game, while the OS is the basic software that allows these programs to run properly on the machine.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the differences between a so-called free operating system and a conventional operating system?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe main difference between a traditional (or proprietary) operating system and a free operating system concerns the licence, access to the source code and the freedoms offered to users and developers. Here’s a comparison of the two:<\/span>\n\n\n\n
    \n \t
  1. Licence and source code :<\/strong><\/span>\n