Characteristics of Operating Systems
Let us now discuss some of the important characteristic features of operating systems:
- Device Management: The operating system keeps track of all the devices. So, it is also called the Input/Output controller that decides which process gets the device, when, and for how much time.
- File Management: It allocates and de-allocates the resources and also decides who gets the resource.
- Job Accounting: It keeps track of time and resources used by various jobs or users.
- Error-detecting Aids: These contain methods that include the production of dumps, traces, error messages, and other debugging and error-detecting methods.
- Memory Management: It keeps track of the primary memory, like what part of it is in use by whom, or what part is not in use, etc. and It also allocates the memory when a process or program requests it.
- Processor Management: It allocates the processor to a process and then de-allocates the processor when it is no longer required or the job is done.
- Control on System Performance: It records the delays between the request for a service and the system.
- Security: It prevents unauthorized access to programs and data using passwords or some kind of protection technique.
- Convenience: An OS makes a computer more convenient to use.
- Efficiency: An OS allows the computer system resources to be used efficiently.
- Ability to Evolve: An OS should be constructed in such a way as to permit the effective development, testing, and introduction of new system functions at the same time without interfering with service.
- Throughput: An OS should be constructed so that It can give maximum throughput (Number of tasks per unit time).
Introduction of Operating System – Set 1
An operating system acts as an intermediary between the user of a computer and computer hardware. The purpose of an operating system is to provide an environment in which a user can execute programs conveniently and efficiently.
An operating system is software that manages computer hardware. The hardware must provide appropriate mechanisms to ensure the correct operation of the computer system and to prevent user programs from interfering with the proper operation of the system. A more common definition is that the operating system is the one program running at all times on the computer (usually called the kernel), with all else being application programs.
An operating system is concerned with the allocation of resources and services, such as memory, processors, devices, and information. The operating system correspondingly includes programs to manage these resources, such as a traffic controller, a scheduler, a memory management module, I/O programs, and a file system.