Cruz, John Ray D.

BSIT-2205

PROJECT DOCUMENTATION

Operating System
The operating system is a program that handles the resources of a computer, particularly their allocation
among other applications. The central processor unit, computer memory, file storage, input/output
devices, and network connections are all common resources. Scheduling resource utilization is one of
the management activities to avoid conflicts and interference between applications. Unlike most
programs, which finish their tasks and exit, an operating system continues to run indefinitely and only
exits when the computer is shut off. Many processes can be active in modern multiprocessing operating
systems, where each process is a thread of computation that executes a program. Time-sharing is a type
of multiprocessing that allows multiple users to share computer access by swiftly switching between
them. Most systems use virtual memory, in which a program's memory, or address space, is stored in
secondary memory (such as on a magnetic hard disk drive) when not in use, and then swapped back to
the quicker main computer memory on demand. This virtual memory expands a program's address area
and prevents programs from interfering with one another, but it requires careful operating system
supervision and a set of allocation tables to keep track of memory usage. The allocation of the CPU is
perhaps the most sensitive and crucial operation for a modern operating system. Each process is
allowed to use the CPU for a certain amount of time, which may be a fraction of a second, before
relinquishing control and becoming suspended until its next turn. Switching between processes
necessitates the utilization of the CPU while safeguarding all of the processes' data.

Operating System Summary

The software that directs the entry and output of data, keeps track of files, and supervises the running
of computer programs is known as an operating system. Its responsibilities include overseeing the
operation of the computer hardware, running application programs, acting as a user interface, and
allocating computer resources to various purposes. When multiple jobs are running on the same
computer at the same time and sharing resources, the operating system assigns predetermined
amounts of CPU time and memory to each job in turn, or allows one job to receive data while another
writes to a printer and a third conducts calculations. Through a process called time-sharing, a large
computer can handle interaction with hundreds of users simultaneously, giving each the perception of
being the sole user. Modern computer operating systems are becoming increasingly machine-
independent, capable of running on any hardware platform; a widely used platform-independent
operating system in use today on mainframe computers is UNIX. Most personal computers run on
Microsoft’s Windows operating system, which grew out of and eventually replaced MS-DOS. See
also Linux. A huge computer can handle interaction with hundreds of users concurrently through a
mechanism known as time-sharing, giving each user the impression of being the only one. Modern
computer operating systems are becoming increasingly machine-independent, allowing them to run on
any hardware platform; UNIX is one of the most frequently used platform-independent operating
systems on mainframe computers today. Microsoft's Windows operating system grew out of and
eventually supplanted MS-DOS on most personal computers. Also see Linux.

Facts and Related Content

Additional Reading
Andrew S. Tanembaum, Modern Operating Systems, 2nd ed. (2001), describes operating system
principles, with many examples taken from Linux and Windows OS. PER BRINCH HANSEN (ed.), Classic
Operating Systems: From Batch Processing to Distributed Systems (2001), includes an essay on the
evolution of operating systems and original articles on important systems.

History
In the 1950s, when computers could only run one program at a time, the first operating systems were
created. Later in the following decades, computers began to integrate an increasing number of software
packages, referred to as libraries, which combined to provide the foundation for today's operating
systems.