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1. Purpose of the operating system

An operating system is the core software that controls how a computer operates.

Well known operating systems include Windows, Linux, Unix, iOS and Android. Although these operating systems are very different in terms of the code they run, they do share a common purpose.

They need to:-

  • Control the hardware of the computer system. e.g. hard disk, graphics card, mouse.
  • Manage software, in terms of loading (and unloading) into main memory.
  • Provide security, such as user name and password control.
  • Provide an user interface, to allow a person to interact with the computer.