What is Operating System ?

Operating system is an interface between user and the computer hardware. The hardware cannot understand human readable language as it works on binaries i.e. 0’s and 1’s. Also it is very tough for humans to understand the binary language, in such case we need an interface which can translate human readable language to hardware language and vice-versa for effective communication.

 

Types of Operation System:

• Single User - Single Tasking Operating System.

• Single User – Multitasking Operating System.

• Multi User   – Multitasking Operating System.
  
  

 

Single User – Single Tasking Operating System:

In this type of operating system only one user can into system and can perform only one task at a
time. (Example: MS-DOS)

 

Single User– Multi Tasking Operating System:

This type of operating system supports only one user to log in the system but a user can perform multiple tasks at a time, like reading an e-book while downloading movies. (Example: Windows98, xp, vista, seven, eight, ten etc.)

 

Multi User – Multi Tasking Operating System:

This type of operating system provides multiple users to log into the system and they can also perform various tasks at a time. In a broader term multiple users can logged in to system and share the resources of the system at the time. (Example UNIX, LINUX etc.)