The computer operating system is the most integral part of a computer. Without the operating system it will be nearly impossible to use a computer as one will need to understand the complicated coding and commands just to get the basic usage of a computer. During the invention of the first computers, the operating systems were not there. However, after computers that were more powerful were developed then operating systems came into existence. Operating systems have since moved into the mobile computers that we use everyday. This includes our tablets, smartphones, and wearable devices such as the Apple Watch.
Why operating systems?
It was very hard for people who did not understand coding or machine language to use the computer. This created a need for computer programmers to develop and design computer operating systems. Their aim was to make life easier where people could use a computer without knowing much about the complex language involved. When you stop to think about it the advent of the operating system is quite incredible. They allow a person with little to no computer programming skills to perform actions on a computer that were once reserved for those who were proficient in coding languages. The power and impact of operating systems is what allows computer technology to be used so widely by anyone.
With the success of the early programmers, a lot of operating systems have found their way into the market. There are others which are still under development with the current popular operating systems undergoing continuous improvement and development. Most of the operating systems that are being developed are designed with the concept of the end user in mind. Today an average computer user can load information and perform several functions at the touch of a mouse with no programming skills. The fact that these operating systems allow computer users to skip the entire knowledge acquirement of coding and computer programming is really a true technological feat.
Types of operating systems
There are different types of operating systems available in the market. The operating systems vary depending on the manufacturer as well as basis of operation. The different types of operating systems available include; Linux, Macintosh, Unix and Windows operating systems.
It is one of the most popular operating systems that you will find in the market. It was developed by a student of the University of Helsinki in Finland. It is considered an updated version of the Unix operating systems since it has a wider variety of applications and functions. The operating system is cheap in the market and easy to install. Another advantage with the operating system is that it is compatible with a wide variety of hardware and applications.
Unix operating system was developed by a group of AT & T employees back in 1969. It is very similar to the Linux operating system however it fetches a higher market price than Linux. The only shortcoming with Linux operating system is that it is limited to a certain range of hardware and applications. It is still being used however most of its users shifted to Linux.
Macintosh is one of the oldest operating systems developed by Apple one of the most reputable manufacturers and developers of technology in the industry. They are not as common and widely used as their counterparts since it was developed for computers specific to the manufacturer. This is to say that macintosh operating systems are only used with Apple hardware.
Windows operating system
It is a very popular operating system that was developed back in 1985 by Microsoft. Windows operating systems is very intuitive and involves a graphical user interface that supports a wide variety of computer applications. Microsoft windows operating systems is dominant in the industry with a market share of about 90% which means it is the most widely used operating system in the world.
This article is mainly covering desktop operating systems. In another post I will look deeper into mobile device operating systems which of course whether we know it or not, anyone with a smartphone is familiar with. Without that iOs or Android Operating system, all of those social media apps, dating apps, local hookup apps, mobile games wouldn’t be able to function with the touch of a button or the swipe of a finger. Although application software is what comes to mind when most people think of what software is, all of their functions stem from the foundation of the operating system.
Upgrading operating system
Regardless of the type of operating system that you are using it reaches a point when you will need to update your operating system. It is never mandatory however if you want to keep up-to-date with the latest features and security settings then you will need to upgrade to your system from time to time. The developers of diverse operating systems tend to provide upgrades for their operating systems.
One thing you need to understand when upgrading your operating system is the hardware requirements. In some cases you find that the new version requires advanced hardware specifications which might be different from the old version. This means that you will need to upgrade your hardware to match the latest technology requirements.
Another thing you need to understand is the fact that if there are data and information in your old system that you intend to keep then you better save it in an external device. In most cases when upgrading to a new version of operating systems all the data that is stored in the computer will be lost. However there are certain types of upgrades that will only affect the operating systems and will have no effect … Read On...