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  Operating System


What is operating system?

An operating system, or OS, is a software program that enables the computer hardware to communicate and operate with the computer software. Without a computer operating system, a computer would be useless.

Operating system types :

As computers have progressed and developed so have the operating systems. Below is a basic list of the different operating systems and a few examples of operating systems that fall into each of the categories. Many computer operating systems will fall into more than one of the below categories.

GUI:(Graphical User Interface :)

Short for Graphical User Interface, a GUI Operating System contains graphics and icons and is commonly navigated by using a computer mouse. See the GUI definition for a complete definition. Below are some examples of GUI Operating Systems.

Multi-User

A multi-user operating system allows for multiple users to use the same computer at the same time and different times. See the multi-user definition for a complete definition for a complete definition. Below are some examples of multi-user operating systems.

  • Linux
  • Unix
  • Windows 2000

Multi-Processing

An operating system capable of supporting and utilizing more than one computer processor. Below are some examples of multiprocessing operating systems.

  • Linux
  • Unix
  • Windows 2000

Multi-Tasking

An operating system that is capable of allowing multiple software processes to run at the same time. Below are some examples of multitasking operating systems.

  • Unix
  • Windows 2000

Multi-Threading

Operating systems that allow different parts of a software program to run concurrently. Operating systems that would fall into this category are:

  • Linux
  • Unix
  • Windows 2000

TroubleShooting

Common questions and answers to operating systems in general can be found on the below operating system question and answers. All other questions relating to an operating system in particular can be found through the operating system page.

TroubleShooting

Operatin SystemDate first releasedPlatformDeveloped by
AIX and AIXLUnix and Linux history.VariousIBM
AmigaOSCurrently no AmigaOS history.AmigaCommodore
BSDUnix and Linux history.VariousBCD
Caldera LinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousSCO
Corel linuxUnix and Linux history.VariousCorel
Debian LinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousGNU
DUnixUnix and Linux history.VariousDigital
DYNIX/ptxUnix and Linux history.VariousIBM
HP-UXUnix and Linux history.VariousHewlett Packard
IRIXUnix and Linux history.VariousSGI
Kondara LinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousKondara
LinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousLinus Torvalds
MAC OS 8Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
MAC OS 9Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
MAC OS 10Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
MAC OS xApple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
Mandrake LinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousMandrake
MINIXUnix and Linux history..VariousMINIX
MS-DOS 1.xMS-DOS history.IBMMicrosoft
MS-DOS 2.xMS-DOS history.IBMMicrosoft
MS-DOS 3.xMS-DOS history.IBMMicrosoft
MS-DOS 4.xMS-DOS history.IBMMicrosoft
MS-DOS 5.xMS-DOS history.IBMMicrosoft
MS-DOS 6.xMS-DOS history.IBMMicrosoft
NEXTSTEPApple operating system history.VariousApple
OSF/1Unix and Linux history.VariousQSF
QNXUnix and Linux history.VariousQNS
Red Hat LinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousRed Hat
SCOUnix and Linux history.VariousSCO
Slackware LinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousRed Hat
Sun SolarisUnix and Linux history.VariousSUN
SuSE LinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousSuSe
System 1Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
System 2Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
System 3Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
System 4Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
System 5Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
System 6Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
System 7Apple operating system history.Apple MacintoshApple
System VUnix and Linux history.VariousSystem V
Tru64 UnixUnix and Linux history.VariousDigital
TurbolinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousTurbolinux
UltrixUnix and Linux history.VariousUltrix
UnisysUnix and Linux history.VariousUnisys
UnixUnix and Linux history.VariousBell labs
UnixWareUnix and Linux history.VariousUnixWare
VectorLinuxUnix and Linux history.VariousVectorLinux
Windows 2000Microsoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows 2003Microsoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows 3.xMicrosoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows CEMicrosoft Windows history.PDAMicrosoft
Windows MEMicrosoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows NTMicrosoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows 95Microsoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows 98Microsoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows VistaMicrosoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows XPMicrosoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows 7Microsoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
Windows 8Microsoft Windows history.IBMMicrosoft
XenixUnix and Linux history.VariousMicrosoft