Difference between revisions of "Operating system"
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== Structure == | == Structure == | ||
An operating system is defined into two basic parts: | An operating system is defined into two basic parts: | ||
| − | * The '''[[BIOS]]''', which handles all hardware related things. Often a computer has a BIOS integrated within its hardware, though some operating systems such as [[Linux]] are | + | * The '''[[BIOS]]''', which handles all hardware related things. Often a computer has a BIOS integrated within its hardware, though some operating systems such as [[Linux]] are independent of this BIOS. |
* The '''[[Kernel]]''', which handles all software related things and acts as a interpreter between applications and the BIOS. | * The '''[[Kernel]]''', which handles all software related things and acts as a interpreter between applications and the BIOS. | ||
Revision as of 05:05, December 14, 2007
An operating system is a set of basic instructions that allow computers to perform basic tasks for people. It is responsible for displaying the graphics on screen and outputting sound to the speakers, controlling input from the mouse and keyboard, allowing hardware to work properly, interfacing with other computers on a network, and storing and retrieving data. The most common operating systems today are Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X, and Linux/BSD.
Structure
An operating system is defined into two basic parts:
- The BIOS, which handles all hardware related things. Often a computer has a BIOS integrated within its hardware, though some operating systems such as Linux are independent of this BIOS.
- The Kernel, which handles all software related things and acts as a interpreter between applications and the BIOS.