An operating system is needed in all desktop computers for that computer to run. The operating system on computers makes it easier for user to use the computer. It makes it easier to run by managing the hardware and software that is installed in the computer without knowing all the details. The user very rarely has to help in the hardware or software installation because the operating system knows what it should do. The operating system manages the application in the system as well as the hardware that is installed. It also can manage the memory process and the input/output of the devices. The operating system controls four types of computers; the first is called the Real-Time Operating System, then the single user, single task, then the single user, multitasking, and multi-user. The most important things that the operating system does is to control the way the processes are handled.
The hardware that usually is installed in a computer is not always connected to the motherboard. These devices include things like the hard drive, mouse, keyboard, and the CD Rom drive. The hardware that is installed must be controlled by the operating system and how it does that is what is called the device manager. The device manager is the path between the operating system and the hardware. All hardware goes through the device manager but first it needs what is called a driver. The driver translates to the operating system as files and puts them in to storage components. Every piece of hardware that is attached to the computer will not run unless a driver is installed. The hardware that is used in computer takes memory to run it too.
There are different types of memory; main memory is the most important. What the operating system manages in main memory is to keep track of which part of the memory is being used and by whom. Decide which process is loaded in memory when memory space becomes available. Allocate and deallocate memory space as needed. Then there is secondary memory which is controlled by the operating system and is some type of disk for storage. Then we have cache memory which is used by the operating system through the fastest connection and usually is access to the internet. The other job that the operating system does is to control the input and output of the devices. I refer to this as a traffic cop and tell things which port to exit out of and to come in at. A special storage place takes a stream of bits from a device and releases them to the CPU at a rate it can handle. The operating system again controls the way that this is handled.
Real time operating systems are used to control machinery, scientific equipment, or industrial systems. This operating system is used for managing a particular operation the same time, every time without user interaction. Now single user-single task operating system is for just like it sounds. One user for one task such as a palm pad. Then we have the single user, multitask operating system and that is used like it sounds too. This is the most popular operating system that we have and is used on most computers. Then the last operating system is the multi-user operating system and an example of this would be a LAN network. Where multiuser use the resources simultaneously on the computer. The operating systems must control all the process so that is can work properly.
The last and most important thing that the operating system must do is to manage all the processes. An important thing to remember is that a process is not a program. A process is only one instant of a program in execution. Even though there are many process running the operating system must decide how it will handle the different processes. So as you can see the operating system is the most important part of the computer. From memory control down to the way that everything is processed, we could not do the computer without the operating system.
