An operating system (OS) is software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is an essential component of the system software in a computer system. Application programs usually require an operating system to function.
Operating System types
As computers have progressed and developed, so have the operating systems. Below is a basic list of the types of operating systems and a few examples of operating systems that fall into each of the types. Many computer operating systems will fall into more than one of the below types.
GUI - Short for Graphical User Interface, a GUI operating system contains graphics and icons and is commonly navigated by using a computer mouse. See the GUI definition for a complete definition. Examples of GUI operating systems are:
Multi-user - A multi-user operating system allows for multiple users to use the same computer at the same time and different times. See the multi-user definition for a complete definition. Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category are:
Multiprocessing - An operating system capable of supporting and utilizing more than one computer processor. Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category are:
Multitasking - An operating system that is capable of allowing multiple software processes to run at the same time. Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category are:
Multithreading - Operating systems that allow different parts of a software program to run concurrently. Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category are:
