Operating System

Operating System is a program or set of programs, which acts as an interface between a user of the computer & the computer Hardware. The main purpose of an OS is to provide an environment in which we can execute programs. The main goals of the OS are:  

1. To make the computer System convenient to use.
2. To make the use of computer hardware in efficient way

Operating System is system software, which may be viewed as collection of software consisting of procedures for operating the computer & providing an environment for execution of programs..
It's an interface between user & computer. So an Os makes everything in the computer to work together smoothly & efficiently.

An Operating System (OS) runs on computer Hardware and serves as a platform for other software to run on the computer system.

An Operating System (OS) runs on computer hardware and serves as a platform for other software to run on the computer system.

• An OS is a program or system software which acts as an interface between the user and the computer hardware.

A computer system can be logically divided into four Components as shown below:

1. Computer Hardware
2. Operating System
3. Application Programs and 
4. Users.

• An OS controls and coordinates the hardware components: CPU, Memory, I/O devices among the various applications programs for the different users:

The two main objectives of the OS are:

Convenience: It makes a computer more convenient to use; and

Efficient: it allows the computer resources to be used in and efficient manner.

• An Operating System is similar to a government, like a Government, it performs no useful work by  itself. it simply provides an environment within which other programs can do useful work
• It is called a resource Manager, it manages all computer resources and allocates them in a specific program and use, as it requires completing its task. So they are also called Resources Allocator.
• Also, it is called a Control Program as it controls the execution of user program to prevent errors and improper use of computers.
• A user reads a file in English but it is stores in the form of 0 and 1 in the memory

• The internal details listed below are completely unknown to user and he simply opens and reads a file by typing a command through the editor. These details are:  

1. The structure of a file; and
2. the way in which it is stored in a secondary memory.

• The OS hides all the innermost details of the working of computer hardware components and provides a simple, usable and effective model of a computer. This type of image of a computer is called virtual machine.