The operating system serves as an interface between the user applications and hardware

Operating System

    system software that allows users or the application programs they are using to interact with the computer hardware in an easy and convenient manner.

Major functions of an operating system:

    It creates a virtual machine interface between the user/application program and the hardware.

    It acts as the computer’s resource manager or resource allocator. It functions as the program launcher.

Two parts of an operating system:     1. Kernel – is the heart and soul of the operating system

    2. Shell – is the part of the operating system that serves as the interface between users and the kernel.

Command-line interface (CLI)
        

            requires users to type the commands at a prompt

Graphical user interface (GUI)

Users enter commands by either using drop-down menus or by clicking on icons using a mouse pointer.

Services provided by an operating system:

    Program execution
    Access to I/O devices
    File system management
    System access
    Error handling
    Communication

Core components of an operating system:

    Process manager
    Memory manager
    File manager
    I/O manager

History of Operating Systems

        Serial processing (first generation)

            There were no operating systems, so these computers were “bare” machines. Computers can only be used by one person at a time. There were no keyboards during this time so user commands are entered by using toggle switches. High-level programming languages were developed and entered into the computer by using punched cards.

There were no fixed or hard disks. 

Batch systems (second generation) 


            Similar jobs are grouped together and processed as a batch.

Multiprogrammed systems (third generation)

            Multiprogramming, which means concurrent execution of two or more programs by a single CPU, was implemented.

        Multiprogramming Scheme

         Sharing memory among user processes and operating system

The operating system serves as an interface between the user applications and hardware



        Time-sharing systems (fourth generation)

                Operating systems during this time were designed to be time-sharing or multitasking operating systems.


        Other Types of Computer Systems         Personal computer systems

                These computers were designed as single-user systems.

        Multiprocessor systems

                These are computer systems with more than one CPU.        Two kinds of multiprocessor systems: 

                1. Symmetric multiprocessors (SMP)

                2. Asymmetric multiprocessors (AMP)

        Block Diagram of a Symmetric Multiprocessor System

        Block Diagram of a asymmetric Multiprocessor System

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asymmetric_multiprocessing

Networked and distributed systems

        Network operating systems allow the sharing of resources among computers connected in a network. 
In distributed systems, there is a high level of transparency in such a way that the entire system is perceived by
a user as one big, powerful computing machine instead of several cooperating computers.

Goals of a distributed operating system:

        Transparency

        Parallelism 
        Reliability

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Is the operating system serves as the interface between the user applications and hardware?

An operating system is a program that acts as an interface between the user and the computer hardware and controls the execution of all kinds of programs. An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs.

Which operating system of a computer serves as a software interface between the user?

An operating system (OS) is the program that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a boot program, manages all the other programs in a computer. It provides an interface between a computer user and computer hardware.

What serves as an interface between user applications and the kernel?

The operating system serves as the interface between the user, the apps, and the computer or mobile device's hardware.