CSC204
PRACTICAL APPROACH
OF OPERATING SYSTEM
Chapter 1.1:
Understanding OS
Learning Outcome (LO)
At the end of the chapter the student
should be able to:
Define an operating systems
Identify the function and goal of
operating system
Explain the history of operating
system.
Explain the type of operating
system.
1.1 UNDERSTANDING
OS
1.1.1 What is OS?
1.1.2 OS and Computer System
1.1.3 History of OS
1.1.4 Types of OS
WHAT IS OS?
What is OS?
An OS is a program that acts as an
intermediary between a user of a computer
and the computer hardware
Operating system goals:
Execute user programs and make solving user
problems easier.
Make the computer system convenient to use
An operating system uses the computer
hardware in an efficient manner
WHAT IS OS?
An operating system is a software which
performs all the basic tasks like file
management, memory management, process
management, handling input and output, and
controlling peripheral devices such as disk
drives and printers. It provides an interface
between a computer user and computer
hardware.
Some popular Operating Systems include
Linux Operating System, Windows Operating
System, VMS, OS/400, AIX, z/OS, etc.
What Is OS
Computer System
Ingeneral, a
computer system
has some resources
which may be
utilized to solve a
problem. They are
Memory
Processor(s)
I/O
File System
etc.
Abstract view of Computer System
Abstract View of System Components
COMPUTER SYSTEM
A computer system can be divided roughly into 4 components:
1. Hardware – provides basic computing resources for the
system. Eg: CPU, memory and I/O devices
2. Operating system
- OS act as a resource allocator: resources such
as hardware and
software that may be required to solve the
problem : CPU time,
memory space, file storage space, I/O
devices.
- controls and coordinates the use of the
hardware
OS Main Functions
Operating System Main Functions
Resource allocator – manages and
allocates resources
Control program – controls the execution
of user programs and operations of I/O
devices
Kernel – the one program running at all
times on the computer (along with the
kernel, there are 2 other types of programs:
system programs and application programs)
Understanding OS
The OS manages these resources and
allocates them to specific programs and
users.
With the management of the OS, a
programmer is rid of difficult hardware
considerations.
An OS provides services for
Processor Management
Memory Management
File Management
Device Management
Concurrency Control
OS FUNCTIONS
History Of OS
1.1.2 History of OS Development
First generation 1945 - 1955
Technology: vacuum tubes & plugboards
Programming: setting some switches
Programming language: machine language
Tasks: tables of sine, cosine, logarithms
OS: none
Computer designer is:
builder and
programmer and
operator and
“sys admin” 13
History Of OS
Second generation 1955 – 1965
Technology: Transistors
Programming: Punched cards
Programming languages: FORTRAN & Assembly
Tasks: Scientific
Computer: Mainframes
OS: Batch system
Universities started to buy computers
(millions $)
Separation between computer
designers, builders, operators,
programmers and maintenance
personnel. 14
History Of OS
Second generation 1955 – 1965
Technology: Transistors
Programming: Punched cards
Programming languages: FORTRAN & Assembly
Tasks: Scientific
Computer: Mainframes
OS: Batch system
Universities started to buy computers
(millions $)
Separation between computer
designers, builders, operators,
programmers and maintenance
personnel. 15
History Of OS
Third generation 1965 – 1980
Technology: ICs
Programming: Punched cards
Programming languages: FORTRAN &
Assembly
Tasks: Scientific & commercial
Computers: IBM 360, DEC PDPs
OS: Multiprogramming/timesharing,
spooling
OSes Developed:
MULTICS (father of all modern OSes)
UNIX (System V, BSD)
POSIX (by IEEE)
MINIX (by Tanenbaum) 16
History Of OS
Fourth generation 1980-Present
Technology: VLSI
Programming: High level
Programming languages: C/C++, Java,
……
Computer: PC
OS: Windows, MacOS, Linux ……
Cheap PCs
17
HISTORY OF OS
GENERATION TYPE OF OPERATING SYSTEMS
FIRST GENERATION Vacuum tubes & wires plug boards
1945-1955 technology
Plug boards replaced with punch cards
ENIAC – first commercial computer
system
Use 18K vacuum tubes
OS – none
SECOND GENERATION Transistors technology
1955-1965 1st OS - JCL (Job Control Language
Multiprogramming
Batch processing – collection of source
program, data & controls to compile
and run a particular task
Punch cards & Magnetic tape
SPOOL- Simultaneous Peripheral
Operations On-Line
Single-stream processing
One-at-a-time, start to end
HISTORY OF OS
THIRD GENERATION 1965- Integrated circuit technology
1980 IBM System/360 & DEC PDPs
minicomputer
OS
Multiprogramming/timesharing system
Spooling
FOURTH GENERATION Technology VLSI or Microprocessor
1980-PRESENT Multiprocessing
Distributed
Network
Embedded
Server Operating Systems
Grid Computing
Personal Operating Systems
Single user with GUI
MS-DOS, Windows
XP/Vista, Mac OS X, Linux
TYPE OF OS
Types of OS
a) Batch
b) Time Sharing/Interactive
c) Real-Time
d) Hybrid
e) Embedded
20
TYPE OF OS
a) Batch
A batch system is one in which jobs are
bundled together with the instructions
necessary to allow them to be
processed without intervention.
Batch processing has been associated
with mainframe computers.
21
TYPE OF OS
– bring cards to IBM 1401 machine (good at card reading)
– read cards to tape
– put tape on IBM 7094 which does computing
– put tape on IBM 1401 which prints output offline
22
TYPE OF OS
b) Time Sharing/Interactive
Time sharing is a logical extension of
multiprogramming.
In time sharing systems, the CPU
executes multiple jobs by switching
among them, but the switches occur so
frequently that the users can interact
with each program while it is running.
It requires an interactive computer
system providing direct communication
between user and the system 23
Type Of OS
c) Real-Time
An OS that guarantees a certain
capability within a specified time
constraint.
This can be especially important in
measurement and automation systems
where downtime is costly or a program
delay could cause a safety hazard.
E.g. industrial process control systems
where each job must be completed in
24
TYPE OF OS
e) Hybrid
A BlackBerry OS hybrid takes the best of the
various OS builds and puts them into a single load.
Sometimes an OS version will have a faster
browser or menu navigation, and someone
capable of building a hybrid OS can extract that
app/file and run it on a different OS base.
The average user tends to avoid hybrid builds
because they’re not official and can sometimes
lead to critical failures.
Other view of hybrid OS : A computer running the
base operating system, and one or more OSs at
the same time using a virtual machine. 25
Type of OS
e) Embedded
An embedded operating systems is OS
for embedded computer system.
These operating systems are designed to
be compact, efficient, and reliable for
many functions.
Virtually all appliances that have a digital
interface. E.g: watches, microwaves,
VCRs, cars -- utilize embedded systems.
Some embedded systems include an
operating system. 26
