Operating systems are the software that runs in the background of a computer. They manage hardware components like memory keyboards, file-systems, file-systems printers and monitors. It also regulates access to the central processor unit or CPU.
Multitasking is a term that allows multiple programs to run simultaneously on an OS. This is because the OS allots system resources to the program, for instance CPU and memory space during execution. It monitors how much memory and CPU time that the program is using, and ensures it does not interfere with other programs that are using the same resources.
Operating systems also monitor the whereabouts and status of files on the hard drives of computers. They create the virtual directory structure and store the location of each individual file in addition to other metadata like the date it was created or modified. An OS also makes it easy for an application to connect to the computer’s hardware through drivers. These drivers translate the proprietary language of the hardware into a standard the operating system can comprehend.
When an application wants to save a document it switches to the kernel of the operating system. This is because the program can’t directly access the disk drive, which requires a driver in order to communicate with it. The operating system generates a logical request and then translates it. Hardware is used in accordance with instructions.
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