MODULE 1, QUARTER 1, WEEK 3: MANIFEST THE ABILITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF

AN OPERATING SYSTEM AND ITS FILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

LESSON 4: OPERATING SYSTEMS: LIFELINE OF COMPUTERS
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe an operating system and its function
2. Differentiate the types of operating systems
3. Enumerate examples of operating systems

The operating system is the most important program that runs on a computer. It is an interface
between computer and user. It is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and
the sharing of the resources of the computer.
An operating system is a system software. It is the master controller for all the activities that
take place in any computer system, including desktop, notebook, and tablet computers as well as
smartphones and other mobile devices. The operating system determines how people interact with a
digital device. It also controls how a digital device communicates with other computers on a network
or peripheral devices such as printers and scanners.
The operating system starts each time you turn on your computer or digital device. The first
task of the operating system when you turn on a computer is to start the boot process. Below is a
table that shows and describes each step in the boot process. Note that the boot process happens
within the operating system and is not literal to the user.
Step Description
When you turn on the power switch, the power
1. Power up light is illuminated, and power is distributed to
the computer circuitry
The processor begins to execute the bootstrap
2. Start bootstrap program program that is stored in permanent memory
called ROM
The operating system performs diagnostic tests
3. Power-on self-test
of several crucial system parts
The operating system identifies the peripheral
4. Identify peripheral devices devices that are connected to the computer and
checks their settings
The operating system is copied from the hard
5. Load operating system
drive to Random Access Memory
The operating system reads configuration data
6. Check configuration and customization and the processor executes any customized
startup routines
FUNCTIONS OF AN OPERATING SYSTEM
 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. The resource management function of an OS allocates computer
resources such as CPU time, main memory, secondary storage, and input and output devices for use.
DATA MANAGEMENT. The data management functions of an OS govern the input and output
of data and their location, storage, and retrieval. It also is responsible for storing and retrieving
information on disk drives and for the organization of that information on the drive.
JOB MANAGEMENT. The job management function of an OS prepares, schedules, controls,
and monitors jobs submitted for execution to ensure the most efficient processing.
INTERFACE BETWEEN THE USER AND THE COMPUTER. The OS also establishes a standard
means of communication between users and their computer systems. It does this by providing a user
interface and a standard set of commands that control the hardware.
TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS
BATCH OPERATING SYSTEM. This type of operating
system does not interact with the computer directly. There
is an operator which takes similar jobs having the same
requirement and group them into batches. It is the

Structure of a Batch OS
responsibility of the operator to sort jobs with similar needs.
Source: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/types-of-operating-
systems/ Examples of Batch OS are payroll systems, bank statements,
and data entry.
DISTRIBUTED OPERATING SYSTEM. In this OS, various
computers are connected through a single communication channel.
These independent computers have their memory unit and CPU and
are known as loosely coupled systems. The system processes can be
of different sizes and can perform different functions. The major
benefit of such a type of operating system is that a user can access
files that are not present on his system but another connected
Structure of a Distributed OS
system. In addition, remote access is available to the systems Source: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/types-of-
operating-systems/
connected to this network. Examples of Distributed OS are LOCUS
and MICROS.
TIME-SHARING/MULTITASKING OPERATING SYSTEM. In this
OS, each task is given some time to execute so that all the tasks
work smoothly. Each user gets the time of CPU as they use a single
system. These systems are also known as Multitasking Systems. The
task can be from a single user or different users also. The time that
Structure of a Time-Sharing OS
Source: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/types-of-
operating-systems/ each task gets to execute is called quantum. After this time interval
is over OS switches over to the next task. Examples of Time-Sharing OS are UNIX and Multics.
 NETWORK OPERATING SYSTEM. These systems run on a
server and provide the capability to manage data, users, groups,
security, applications, and other networking functions. These types
of operating systems allow shared access of files, printers, security,
applications, and other networking functions over a small private
network. One more important aspect of Network Operating Systems
is that all the users are aware of the underlying configuration, of all Structure of a Network OS
Source: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/types-of-
operating-systems/
other users within the network, their individual connections, etc.
and that’s why these computers are popularly known as tightly coupled systems. Examples of Network
OS are MS Windows Server 2003 and 2008, Linux, and Mac OSX.
REAL TIME OPERATING SYSTEMS. These types of OSs serve real-time systems. The time
interval required to process and respond to inputs is very small. This time interval is called response
time. Real-time systems are used when there are time requirements that are very strict like missile
systems, air traffic control systems, robots, etc. Examples of Real Time OS are medical imaging systems,
industrial control systems, weapon systems, and robots.
THREE COMMON EXAMPLES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

Timeline of Windows OS
versions
Source:
https://www.edureka.co/bl
og/linux-vs-windows/

WINDOWS. It is a series of operating systems developed by Microsoft. Each version of

Windows includes a graphical user interface, with a desktop that allows users to view files and folders
in windows. For the past two decades, Windows has been the most widely used operating system for
personal computers PCs. Microsoft Windows is designed for both home computing and professional
purposes. Past versions of Windows home editions include Windows 3.0 (1990), Windows 3.1 (1992),
Windows 95 (1995), Windows 98 (1998), Windows Me (2000), Windows XP (2001), and Windows Vista
(2006). Windows 7 was released in 2009. The latest version, Windows 10, was released in 2015.
MAC OS. This is the operating
system that runs on Macintosh computers.
The Mac OS has been around since the first
Macintosh was introduced in 1984. Since
then, it has been continually updated and
many new features have been added to it.
Each major OS release is signified by a new
Timeline of Mac OS versions number (i.e., Mac OS 8, Mac OS 9). Since
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_87Bfw1MVsA
the core of the Mac OS was nearly decades
old, Apple decided to completely revamp the operating system. In March of 2001, Apple introduced a
completely new version of the Mac OS that was written from the ground up. The company dubbed it
"Mac OS X," correctly pronounced "Mac OS 10." Unlike earlier versions of the Mac OS, Mac OS X is
based on the same kernel as Unix and has many advanced administrative features and utilities. Though
the operating system is much more advanced than earlier versions of the Mac OS, it still has the same
ease-of-use that people have come to expect from Apple software.
LINUX. It is the best-known and most-used open-
source operating system. As an operating system,
Linux is software that sits underneath all the
other software on a computer, receiving
requests from those programs and relaying these
requests to the computer’s hardware. In many

Most Popular Linux Distributions

ways, Linux is like other operating systems you
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMCylaT4iV4
may have used, such as Windows, macOS
(formerly OS X), or iOS. Like other operating systems, Linux has a graphical interface, and the same
types of software you are accustomed to, such as word processors, photo editors, video editors, and
so on. In many cases, a software’s creator may have made a Linux version of the same program you
use on other systems. In short: if you can use a computer or other electronic device, you can use Linux.