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Operating system
hideAn operating system (commonly abbreviated to either OS or O/S) is an interface between hardware and user; an OS is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of the computer. The operating system acts as a host for computing applications that are run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an operating system is to handle the details of the operation of the hardware. This relieves application programs from having to manage these details and makes it easier to write applications. Almost all computers (including handheld computers, desktop computers, supercomputers, video game consoles) as well as some robots, domestic appliances (dishwashers, washing machines), and portable media players use an operating system of some type. Some of the oldest models may however use an embedded operating system, that may be contained on a compact disk or other data storage device.
Operating systems offer a number of services to application programs and users. Applications access these services through application programming interfaces (APIs) or system calls. By invoking these interfaces, the application can request a service from the operating system, pass parameters, and receive the results of the operation. Users may also interact with the operating system with some kind of software user interface (UI) like typing commands by using command line interface (CLI) or using a graphical user interface (GUI, commonly pronounced “gooey”). For hand-held and desktop computers, the user interface is generally considered part of the operating system. On large multi-user systems like Unix and Unix-like systems, the user interface is generally implemented as an application program that runs outside the operating system. (Whether the user interface should be included as part of the operating system is a point of contention.)
Common contemporary operating system families include BSD, Darwin (Mac OS X), GNU/Linux, SunOS (Solaris/OpenSolaris), and Windows NT (XP/Vista/7). While servers generally run Unix or some Unix-like operating system, embedded system markets are split amongst several operating systems.
For more information about Operating system, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with operating system
Inventor Demonstrates Humanoid Robot's Latest AI Abilities (w/ Video)
Technology / Computer Sciences
Aug 25, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (31) |
26
(PhysOrg.com) -- In August 2007, Le Trung invented Aiko, a Yumecom, or "Dream Computer Robot." Although it took only a month and a half to build Aiko's exterior, the artificial intelligence software has been ...
Computer scientists successfully boot one million Linux kernels as virtual machines
Technology / Computer Sciences
Sep 25, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (22) |
8
(PhysOrg.com) -- Computer scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, Calif., have for the first time successfully demonstrated the ability to run more than a million Linux kernels as virtual ...
China deploys secure computer operating system
May 12, 2009 |
3.9 / 5 (24) |
27
China has installed a secure operating system known as "Kylin" on government and military computers designed to be impenetrable to US military and intelligence agencies, The Washington Times reported on Tuesday.
Hooks hijacked? New research shows how to block stealthy malware attacks
Technology / Computer Sciences
Nov 03, 2009 |
4.9 / 5 (13) |
3
The spread of malicious software, also known as malware or computer viruses, is a growing problem that can lead to crashed computer systems, stolen personal information, and billions of dollars in lost productivity every ...
Windows 7 on the way: What should you do?
Jul 29, 2009 |
2.7 / 5 (23) |
17
Now that Microsoft has finished Windows 7, computer users may be wondering what to do next.
Review: Dazzling Palm software beats the iPhone
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Jun 04, 2009 |
3.3 / 5 (16) |
12
(AP) -- Move over, iPhone. You've had two years on top of the smart phone world. Now there's a touch-screen phone with better software: the Palm Pre.
Should I buy a PC or Mac?
Nov 25, 2009 |
2.4 / 5 (21) |
35
Q. Our 6-year-old PC computer is dying a slow death and we are considering moving to a new iMac but have a few concerns. First, of all, we have several Word documents on our disk drive now that we want to keep and add to ...
Apple to unleash Snow Leopard on August 28
Aug 24, 2009 |
3.7 / 5 (13) |
4
Apple announced on Monday that its next-generation Snow Leopard operating system tailored for the California company's Macintosh computers will be unleashed on the market on Friday.
Not an easy time to pick a computer
May 20, 2009 |
2 / 5 (23) |
10
If you're shopping for a computer now, it may feel like purgatory.
Windows 7 to make public debut May 5
May 01, 2009 |
1.8 / 5 (22) |
5
Microsoft said Thursday that a nearly-final version of its next-generation Windows 7 operating system will be publicly released on May 5.
Google's operating system escalates Microsoft duel (Update)
Jul 08, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (9) |
22
(AP) -- Google Inc. is hoping to gain greater control over how personal computers work with its plans to develop a free operating system that will attack Microsoft Corp.'s golden goose - its long-dominant ...
How Microsoft plans to hook users on Windows 7
Oct 15, 2009 |
1.9 / 5 (19) |
3
While the Europeans haggle over the Windows 7 browser scheme, everyone else may want to look at other creative ways Microsoft's new operating system will advance its business.
Review: Windows 7 strong, but don't pay to upgrade
Oct 14, 2009 |
1.9 / 5 (19) |
7
(AP) -- Next week, Microsoft is releasing Windows 7, a slick, much improved operating system that should go a long way toward erasing the bad impression left by its previous effort, Vista.
World gets to put Windows 7 software to the test
May 04, 2009 |
1.9 / 5 (17) |
8
A nearly-final version of Windows 7 is making its world debut, giving people a chance to tell Microsoft what they love or hate about the new-generation operating system.
EU: Microsoft agrees to unbundle Explorer from Windows
Jul 24, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (6) |
13
(AP) -- Microsoft Corp. will offer computer users a choice of rival Web browsers to ward off new European Union antitrust fines, EU regulators and Microsoft said Friday.
