An operating system (OS) is a set of computer program that manages the hardware and software resources of a computer.

At the foundation of all system software, the OS performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing system requests, controlling input and output devices, facilitating networking, and managing files. It also may provide a graphical user interface for higher level functions. Various services performed by operating systems are discussed below. Process management: It deals with running multiple processes. Most operating system allow a process to be assigned a priority which affects its allocation of CPU time. Interactive operating systems also employ some level of feedback in which the task with which the user is working receives higher priority. In many systems there is a background process which runs when no other process is waiting for the CPU. Memory management: The memory manager in an OS coordinates the memories by tracking which one is available, which is to be allocated or deallocated and how to swap between the main memory and secondary memories. The operating system tracks all memory used by each process so that when a process terminates, all memory used by that process will be available for other processes. Disk and file systems: Operating systems have a variety of native file systems that controls the creation, deletion, and access of files of data and programs. Networking: Most current operating systems are capable of using the TCP/IP networking protocols. This means that one system can appear on a network of the other and share resources such as files, printers, and scanners. Many operating systems also support one or more vendor-specific legacy networking protocols as well. Security: most operating systems include some level of security. Device drivers: A device driver is a specific type of computer software developed to allow interaction with hardware devices. Typically this constitutes an interface for communicating with the device, through the specific computer bus or communications subsystem that the hardware is connected to, providing commands to and/or receiving data from the device, and on the other end, the requisite interfaces to the operating system and software applications.

Operating system is a platform between hardware and user which is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of a computer. It hosts the several applications that run on a computer and handles the operations of computer hardware. There are different types of operating systems. These are as follows: 1. Real-time Operating System: It is a multitasking operating system that aims at executing real-time applications. 2. Multi-user and Single-user Operating Systems: The operating systems of this type allow a multiple users to access a computer system concurrently. 3. Multi-tasking and Single-tasking Operating Systems:When a single program is allowed to run at a time, the system is grouped under a single-tasking system, while in case the operating system allows the execution of multiple tasks at one time, it is classified as a multi-tasking operating system. 4. Distributed Operating System: An operating system that manages a group of independent computers and makes them appear to be a single computer is known as a distributed operating system.

5. Embedded System: The operating systems designed for being used in embedded computer systems are known as embedded operating systems.

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Operating System is a software program that acts as an interface between the user and the computer. It is a software package which allows the computer to function. Functions: Program creation Program execution Access to Input/Output devices Controlled access to files System access Error detection and response Interpreting the commands Managing peripherals Memory management Processor management Information management Process communication Netoworking Types of Operating System DOS (Disk Operating System) UNIX LINUX Windows Windows NT

Job Management Job management controls the order and time in which programs are run and is more sophisticated in the mainframe environment where scheduling the daily work has always been routine. IBM's job control language (JCL) was developed decades ago. In a desktop environment, batch files can be written to perform a sequence of operations that can be scheduled to start at a given time. Task Management Multitasking, which is the ability to simultaneously execute multiple programs, is available in all operating systems today. Critical in the mainframe and server environment, applications can be prioritized to run faster or slower depending on their purpose. In the desktop world, multitasking is necessary for keeping several applications open at the same time so you can bounce back and forth among them. See http://www.answers.com/main/ntq-sname-GuruNet+Library-dsid-2635dekey-multitasking. Data Management Data management keeps track of the data on disk, tape and optical storage devices. The application program deals with data by file name and a particular location within the file. The operating system's file system knows where that data are physically stored (which sectors on disk) and interaction between the application and operating system is through the programming interface. Whenever an application needs to read or write data, it makes a call to the operating system (see http://www.answers.com/main/ntq-sname-GuruNet+Library-dsid-2635-dekey-API). Device Management

Device management controls peripheral devices by sending them commands in their own proprietary language. The software routine that knows how to deal with each device is called a "driver," and the OS requires drivers for the peripherals attached to the computer. When a new peripheral is added, that device's driver is installed into the operating system. User Interface All graphics based today, the user interface includes the windows, menus and method of interaction between you and the computer. Prior to graphical user interfaces (GUIs), all operation of the computer was performed by typing in commands. Not at all extinct, command-line interfaces are alive and well and provide an alternate way of running programs on all major operating systems. Operating systems may support optional interfaces, both graphical and command line. Although the overwhelming majority of people work with the default interfaces, different "shells" offer variations of appearance and functionality. Security Operating systems provide password protection to keep unauthorized users out of the system. Some operating systems also maintain activity logs and accounting of the user's time for billing purposes. They also provide backup and recovery routines for starting over in the event of a system failure. Other Functions Of An Operating System:-

(1) Services of an O.S.:Operating system by itself does not perform work i.e. useful to the end user of the computer. It creates the environment in which the application program can function o.s. provided services to users are1) Program Execution :- Loading the program into memory , executing & terminating the program. 2) Error Deletion :Identifying & traffic of errors detected while processing user request to hardware like keyboard error , shortage of memory etc. 3) Resource Allocation :Management of available resources & allocation of resources to different users. 4) Input/Output Operation :Execution of input/output request involving devices & files. 5) File Management or Manipulation :Executing request for read , write , rename or delete the data file as well as file management services. 6) Accounting :Maintaining accounts of uses of the resources by different users & generating usable table. 7) Security :Providing protection to program & data & to ensure data security