An operating system is software that manages computer hardware and software. It supplies an interface for the user and important utilities for managing the computer.
An operating system (or 'OS') controls the general operation of a computer, and provides an easy way for us to interact with computers and run applications.
On some computers it is possible to run a choice of operating systems. Games consoles have their own unique operating systems.
There are a few common operating systems available:
Mac OS X
Linux
Windows
Android (based on Linux)
iOS
Functions of the operating system
The operating system performs several key functions:
interface - provides a user interface so it is easy to interact with the computer
manages the CPU - runs applications and executes and cancels processes
multi-tasks - allows multiple applications to run at the same time
managesmemory - transfers programs into and out of memory, allocates free space between programs, and keeps track of memory usage
managesperipherals - opens, closes and writes to peripheral devices such as storage attached to the computer
organises - creates a file system to organise files and directories
security - provides security through user accounts and passwords
utilities - provides tools for managing and organising hardware