P2 - Operating Systems

An operating system is a piece of software in your computer that allows all the other programs to work. It is the first program your computer loads when turning on and without it the computer will be useless. Examples of operating systems include Windows, MacOS and UNIX for computers as well as Android for phones. Although all these operation systems are different and have different functions to fit their needs they all are set up to do the same things at the core of their program: To provide a User interface, manage the hardware and manage the computer’s memory.

Operating systems help users because they are able to run several programs at once and find where the programs are in their memory. This is useful because before operating systems where created a computer could only hold one program at a time and programs had to be stored externally, using the Von Neumann of having each program on an individual Card. This meant that when people wanted to upload a new program they would have to take out the card, wipe the memory and then put in a new one (a time consuming way of doing things). It also meant people had to walk around with cases of cards each holding a different program. Once operating systems were created however it meant people could store more programs on their computers and run more than one at once making using a computer much easier.