If you do not want to know, click the items below and go directly into the paper.
The most basic command software which control your computer's basic function like input and output. You can think it works like a bridge between you and your computer. If you feel headache or do not want to know anything more about what is a operating system,click here and skip to the paper body.
OK, you are tough. Let talk something more technical then: An operating system provided an environment for application to run over it. It typically included a lot of build-in functions like display a character to the screen or input a character from the keyboard. Those are most fundamental function of your computer. Because all the application software needs those most basic function to work with, so they put those most fundamental task into a program and call it Operating System.
What are the basic functions of an operating system?
When you type in some executable command, the operating system will go and found the program which match the name you type in and execute it. That's why DOS can only run one program at one time because it takes only one command at one time. Windows and other OS contain 'schedulers', which divide the usage of the processor for different active applications and allocate CPU time to each application at milliseconds.
Another duty of an operating system is to allocate memory to itself and other applications. Because DOS can only have 1MB of memory addressable, so the resources for other applications are limited. On the other hand, Windows and other OS can "see" all the memory installed in the computer and use them. So when you are running low in the basic memory, they will go and get those memory to create "Virtual Memory" in order to free up more memory for your applications to use.
Other basic function of an OS is to manage your file like store, create, read, write and transfer them. High level operating like rename or delete a file are also included.
This is the function that your OS "talk" with your other hardware like printer, sound card and video card. To "talk" to a device, OS needs to speak the device's language. There is so many different devices out in the market and that means there is a lot of languages, so OS leads a hand by severing itself as an interpreter.
Still not headache enough? OK, try to read "Operating system: Design and Implementation" by Andrew S. Tanenbaum.. Prentice Hall, 1987. Or take CS 474 - Operating System Concepts in Fall. =)
Worked sited: PC Magazine May 14, 1996
OS/2 means Operating System 2. It works like other OS, for example, Windows 95, Mac OS and DOS, the main purpose of an operating system is to let you communicate with your computer. OS/2 is used under Intel platform for now.
IBM and Microsoft introduced OS/2 back in 1987, both company positioned OS/2 as the next generation of operating system and as a replacement of DOS. After a rift in 1990 between IBM and Microsoft, they separated and Microsoft go on with its Windows and IBM take over OS/2.
OS/2 needs only a minimum of 4MB of RAM and a 386 computer.
Today, the number of people in the world heard of Windows 95 more than the people who know who is the President of United State. Windows is the dominate operating system today but it does not mean it is the best operating system you can have. OS/2 provides a lot of features which is better than Windows 95.
Last year, IBM introduced OS/2 Warp 3 
for personal user
and for networked business user, IBM introduced OS/2 Warp Connected which included
some networking features like share folders and hard drive with other users.
For work groups and small or bigbusiness, OS/2 family has OS/2 LAN Server 4.0 and
OS/2 for SMP. So OS/2 is for everyone no matter you need a OS for single user or
cooperation usage. According to IDC, OS/2 Warp will gain three share points of the
total operating system market by the end of the year. Also, OS/2 outshipped Windows NT
two to one in the server market.
The latest news for OS/2 is the OS/2 Warp Server, currently under beta testing and hopefully can be out to the market by next year. Also IBM is working on the next version of the OS/2 Warp client, code name Merlin; the microkernel versions of OS/2 Warp; and IBM's integrated server series, code name Project Eagle. For the next generation of OS/2, IBM promised will have even better user interface and more intuitive. Also IBM planned to make OS/2 portable and microkernel-based in order to run under both PowerPC and Intel platforms. The first portable version will be OS/2 Warp for the PowerPC which will be shipped later this year.
Mac OS is the operating system which run only under Mac computer environment. Mac OS has no difference in its basic function as other Intel based operating system, its purpose is work as a communicate bridge between human and computer.
The latest version of Mac OS is System 7.5. Copland is the next version of Mac OS or you can call it System 8. Copland is the development name for it.
Copland is expected to run under 8M of RAM and 40 MB of disk space. Apple also promised all the existing software for System 7.5 will have no problem run under Capland.
Benefits of Capland to organization and individuals
Mac OS runs under only Mac environment and this limited its market share by the sells of Mac computer. Apple computer is currently under restructuring and having a big loss in the third quart. Intel based operating system has dominated the PC market not because they provided a better features than Mac OS, but due to the market share of the Intel based PC has sold in the world. The 'Best features' of Windows 95 like plug and play has been already existed in Mac OS ten years ago. Mac OS is just keep improving and adding new features to itself. Windows is just trying to catch up with Mac OS. The best will only get even better. The success of Mac OS will depend on the market share of the Mac machine in the world because Mac OS runs only under Mac or Power PC environment.
Windows NT works like other operating system as mention above. It designed as a high- end personal operating system. The difference between NT and the operating system above is NT offer the maximum stability and robustness. Native applications are preemptively multitasked in protected memory spaces, and Ring 3 system DLLs are protected from applications through an elaborate client/server scheme. Also NT provides a significant security features and robust new log-based file system (PC magazine, September 26). In the other words, NT provided a full protection environment for the end users.
Windows NT require 12MB of RAM as minimum, 16MB recommended, 75 MB of hard disk spaces. NT can be run under Intel, Alpha, MIPS, and PowerPC based workstation and its current versions is 3.51 and its interface looks like Windows 3.1.
Windows NT actually is designed for business that depends heavily on computer and data- intensive. In a demanding environment like 'down time is money' business, for example, bank, stock market and software firm, the reliability and performance will offer a cutting advantages to their business.
Microsoft has planned a minor upgrade for NT and it will include a Windows 95 like user interface. Also a major upgrade call Cairo is now under process and should be due around late 1996 or early 1997. At the same time, integrated with Internet in NT is expected. Also, Microsoft is pushing software developer to make sure that the software for Windows 95 should run under Windows NT. You can see Microsoft is trying to make Windows 95 as a personal version OS and NT as a business networking OS.
Windows 97 will be the next major release of Windows(another one?!). Microsoft has officially rule out the chance of having Windows 96.
(I get this picture from somewhere and it is fun!)
They will only offer a service pack to fix some bugs in Windows 95 and posted on Microsoft's Web site or available as a CD-ROM "service pack".
You dont know?? I think you have not attended the class for a while, check out our last project.
Produce by Gary Law
April 17, 1996
Worked Sited: