operating system

operating system
    n 1: (computer science) software that controls the execution of
         computer programs and may provide various services [syn:
         {operating system}, {OS}]
    

operating system
 n.

   [techspeak] (Often abbreviated `OS') The foundation software of a
   machine; that which schedules tasks, allocates storage, and presents a
   default interface to the user between applications. The facilities an
   operating system provides and its general design philosophy exert an
   extremely strong influence on programming style and on the technical
   cultures that grow up around its host machines. Hacker folklore has
   been shaped primarily by the {Unix}, {ITS}, {TOPS-10},
   {TOPS-20}/{TWENEX}, {WAITS}, {CP/M}, {MS-DOS}, and {Multics} operating
   systems (most importantly by ITS and Unix). See also {timesharing}.
    

operating system

   <operating system> (OS) The low-level {software} which handles
   the interface to {peripheral} {hardware}, schedules {tasks},
   allocates {storage}, and presents a default {interface} to the
   user when no {application program} is running.

   The OS may be split into a {kernel} which is always present
   and various system programs which use facilities provided by
   the kernel to perform higher-level {house-keeping} tasks,
   often acting as {servers} in a {client-server} relationship.

   Some would include a {graphical user interface} and {window
   system} as part of the OS, others would not.  The {operating
   system loader}, {BIOS}, or other {firmware} required at {boot
   time} or when installing the operating system would generally
   not be considered part of the operating system, though this
   distinction is unclear in the case of a {rommable operating
   system} such as {RISC OS}.

   The facilities an operating system provides and its general
   design philosophy exert an extremely strong influence on
   programming style and on the technical cultures that grow up
   around the machines on which it runs.

   Example operating systems include {386BSD}, {AIX}, {AOS},
   {Amoeba}, {Angel}, {Artemis microkernel}, {BeOS}, {Brazil},
   {COS}, {CP/M}, {CTSS}, {Chorus}, {DACNOS}, {DOSEXEC 2},
   {GCOS}, {GEORGE 3}, {GEOS}, {ITS}, {KAOS}, {Linux}, {LynxOS},
   {MPV}, {MS-DOS}, {MVS}, {Mach}, {Macintosh operating system},
   {Microsoft Windows}, {MINIX}, {Multics}, {Multipop-68},
   {Novell NetWare}, {OS-9}, {OS/2}, {Pick}, {Plan 9}, {QNX},
   {RISC OS}, {STING}, {System V}, {System/360}, {TOPS-10},
   {TOPS-20}, {TRUSIX}, {TWENEX}, {TYMCOM-X}, {Thoth}, {Unix},
   {VM/CMS}, {VMS}, {VRTX}, {VSTa}, {VxWorks}, {WAITS}.

   FAQ
   (ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/usenet/news-info/comp.os.research).

   Usenet newsgroup: news:comp.os.research.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1999-06-09)