What is the Operating System and what are it's functions?

The Operating System (known as the 'OS') is the software (usually pre-installed into a computer before it is purchased), manages all the other programs. It allows the user to interact with application programs such as a word processor program. It is the first thing you see when you turn on your computer.

   Functions:

• Handles multitasking, which is the process a computer does when it has more than one 
  application open at once.

• Manages the computer's memory.

• Manages input and output from external devices, for example a printer to and from the 
  hard disk.

• Interacts with the user. Sends dialogue boxes to the screen to inform the user of what is 
  happening if necessary.

• Can manage a network of computers, in an office for example where there are several 
  computers using the one program from a main computer.

Useful links: Britannica.com 
                      Infoworld.com    
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The First Operating System.

The first Operating System was called the CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers). It was invented by Gary Kildall who was so tired of driving to work, he invented the CP/M so that he could have a computer at home to work on. It was a basic OS which used BIOS (Basic Input/Output System).

Useful links: Maxframe
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 Gary Kildall
 
Image from Maxframe
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Further Operating Systems.

DOS
MSDOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System), was a text based OS based on the QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System), which was based on CP/M. It was not very easy to use. This is because the user had to learn different commands to type in to this OS in order to function it.

An operating system had to be developed which was more interactive for ease of use.
Microsoft made their own version of DOS and worked with IBM who wanted to use 'MSDOS' on a computer they were making. IBM had originally approached Gary Kildall to work with them but he was out flying his plane (on business he says).

Useful links: What is MSDOS?  What is.com  "whatis® is a knowledge  exploration tool about information technology, especially about the Internet and computers." 

Macintosh OS
Steve Jobs who headed Macintosh brought out the first GUI (Graphical User Interface) OS - The Apple II with the help of co-founder Steve Wozniac. This was a major breakthrough for them as it was the first real step to the computer being used in homes. This computer had colours and graphics. Software could be run on it. The GUI enabled 'WYSIWYG' (What You See Is What You Get) software to be developed and used. These programs let the user see what their work looks like before it is printed off.

The idea of having a GUI is said to have come from Xerox PARC.
 Xerox was a successful company sold photocopiers in the 1970's but later went on to employ a team of researchers to work on the development of the computer. 
These researchers worked at the Palo Alto Research Centre (PARC).

Useful links: Mac OSX The official Apple Macintosh website.
Burks 4 Online "BURKS (the Brighton University Resource Kit for Students) is a non-profit 
double CD set of useful resources for computer science students."

MS Windows
Microsoft decided to go their separate way from IBM after they realised that 'Big Blue' (IBM) were bringing out an OS of their own - OS2 and they wanted Gates and Allen to help them develop it (which they did)
They were already selling  'MSDOS' to other computer companies who were 
developing 'clones' of IBM PC's which made them completely compatible with software developed for IBM too. 

IBM computers were 'open standard' in that clone companies got away with 
copying IBM by using developers that had never seen an IBM PC or how it 
had been made. These developers were called 'virgins'.
These 'virgins' used what is called 'reverse engineering' to develop the clone machines. Compaq was the first company to develop one. 
Then Microsoft developed Windows.

Useful links: IBM website
                      Microsoft

The Impact The O.S. had on the  computer industry.

Computers could now be used in the home by the average person for purposes such as:

• Storing files of information

• Spreadsheets for accounting etc.

• Word processing

• Creativity

• Internet

With these functions on an easy-to-use system it was inevitable that the home computer would become a popular household appliance.

The personal computer industry would  never have taken off without an operating system being developed. It now plays a large part in our society.

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Bill Gates
Image from Corbis.com
Downloaded 30.06.00

       
Image from 
Prey Recognition in the Common Toad
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What direction will the OS take in the future?

Mac OS
A news article by Ian Fried on CNET News (accessed 30.06.00), reads that Apple's new operating system (due to be realeased in January 2001) is very impressive with many new functions, especially graphical.

Microsoft Windows
What steps will Microsoft take in order to overcome the Department of 
Justice's anti-trust probe, (See FirstClass messages in references page)?
According to a news article "Gates gambles all on new strategy", by Andy Goldberg
in the daily telegraph, 22.06.00, Microsoft will be bringing out "an operating system for the internet".
But computer buyers may soon come to realise that  MS Windows is not necessarily 
the best option and may see computers with alternative OS's already installed when they purchase them.

Alternatives
Linux
Linux is  free to download off the internet and more popular for business/office use. It may become more widely used on the home computer. 
Linux Online Linux's main website.

BeOS
"The BeOS squeezes every erg of processing power out of your system, and makes it available for you to use". Ken Burnside - Desktop Journal site accessed 30.06.00

Useful links: Surviving the next operating system - The Yale University
                      Why Windows is still the big OS wheel - Yahoo news.

Windows

Image from
The Support of Sedona
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Linux


BeOS

2 images from
The Desktop Journal
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The future will show major changes in the development of computers IMO.
It is already well-known that they will play a major part in how a household will run. There are computerised fridges being developed as we speak which will be connected to the internet so they can order more food when needed!
It's difficult to say how operating systems will develop but I think that we will be able to interact with our computers at home directly from our mobile phones by just speaking. "Run the bath honey I'm on my way home. Oh... and put the dinner on and walk the dog while you're at it!".

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