The operating system shares characteristics with both hardware and software.

An operating system is the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages the computer's memory and processes, as well as all of its software and hardware. It also allows you to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's language. Without an operating system, a computer is useless.

Watch the video below to learn more about operating systems.

Looking for the old version of this video? You can still view it here.

The operating system's job

Your computer's operating system (OS) manages all of the software and hardware on the computer. Most of the time, there are several different computer programs running at the same time, and they all need to access your computer's central processing unit (CPU), memory, and storage. The operating system coordinates all of this to make sure each program gets what it needs.

Types of operating systems

Operating systems usually come pre-loaded on any computer you buy. Most people use the operating system that comes with their computer, but it's possible to upgrade or even change operating systems. The three most common operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Modern operating systems use a graphical user interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey). A GUI lets you use your mouse to click icons, buttons, and menus, and everything is clearly displayed on the screen using a combination of graphics and text.

Each operating system's GUI has a different look and feel, so if you switch to a different operating system it may seem unfamiliar at first. However, modern operating systems are designed to be easy to use, and most of the basic principles are the same.

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft created the Windows operating system in the mid-1980s. There have been many different versions of Windows, but the most recent ones are Windows 10 (released in 2015), Windows 8 (2012), Windows 7 (2009), and Windows Vista (2007). Windows comes pre-loaded on most new PCs, which helps to make it the most popular operating system in the world.

Check out our tutorials on Windows Basics and specific Windows versions for more information.

macOS

macOS (previously called OS X) is a line of operating systems created by Apple. It comes preloaded on all Macintosh computers, or Macs. Some of the specific versions include Mojave (released in 2018), High Sierra (2017), and Sierra (2016).

According to StatCounter Global Stats, macOS users account for less than 10% of global operating systems—much lower than the percentage of Windows users (more than 80%). One reason for this is that Apple computers tend to be more expensive. However, many people do prefer the look and feel of macOS over Windows.

Check out our macOS Basics tutorial for more information.

Linux

Linux (pronounced LINN-ux) is a family of open-source operating systems, which means they can be modified and distributed by anyone around the world. This is different from proprietary software like Windows, which can only be modified by the company that owns it. The advantages of Linux are that it is free, and there are many different distributions—or versions—you can choose from.

According to StatCounter Global Stats, Linux users account for less than 2% of global operating systems. However, most servers run Linux because it's relatively easy to customize.

To learn more about different distributions of Linux, visit the Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Fedora websites, or refer to our Linux Resources. For a more comprehensive list, you can visit MakeUseOf's list of The Best Linux Distributions.

Operating systems for mobile devices generally aren't as fully featured as those made for desktop and laptop computers, and they aren't able to run all of the same software. However, you can still do a lot of things with them, like watch movies, browse the Web, manage your calendar, and play games. Question No : 40The process of transferring data intended for a peripheral device into a disk, so that it can be transferred to peripheral at a more convenient time or in bulk, is known as(1) multiprogramming(2) spooling(3) caching(4) virtual programming(5) None of these 📌   All of the following are task performed by the operating system except📌   _is the operating systems File and folder Manager📌   To properly exit Windows📌   Which icon would you access in the printer window to install a printer drive?📌   During the boot process, the.... looks for the system file📌   What is the full form of NTFS📌   Which is not application software?📌   A flashing or blinking light on the screen is called📌   Which of the following is used to display the content of a certain drive or folder?📌   User action such as keystroke or mouse click are referred to as📌   Which is the first program run on a computer when the computer boots up?📌   The Basic Input Output System (BIOS) resides in📌   Which of the following is extension of notepad?📌   What is dispatch latency?📌   The problem with ...file is that they slow your computer's operation📌   Which of the following is not an advantage of open source operating system over proprietary version?📌   Which of the following is suitable after you install new drivers?📌   The primary purpose of an operating system is a...📌   To move to the beginning of a line of text, press the_____ key.📌   The program compresses large files into a smaller file📌   Operating system is a....📌   Taskbar is used for📌   Which type of command requires additional files to perform specific operations?📌   When you press and release the secondary mouse button you are ..📌   Which file is transferred when computer is start up?📌   A.... is a named location on a disk where files are stored📌   An operating system is a program or a group of programs that📌   You can move a window to a different position on your screen by dragging it by its📌   Which operating system doesn't support networking between computers?📌   What is the extension of font file? Does the operating system share characteristics with both hardware and software?

Which is both hardware and software?

What are two characteristics of an operating system?

What are the characteristics that software has that are considerably different from those of hardware?