Operating systems

An operating system or OS is a software

that enables the computer hardware to
communicate and operate with the
computer software. Without a computer
operating system, a computer and software
programs would be useless. The picture to
the right is an example
of Microsoft Windows XP, a popular
operating system and what the box may
look like if you were to purchase it from a
local retail store.
Operating System types
As computers have progressed
and developed, so have the
operating systems. Below is a
basic list of the types of
operating systems and a few
examples of operating systems
that fall into each of the types.
Many computer operating
systems will fall into more than
one of the below types.
GUI - Short for Graphical User
Interface, a GUI operating
system contains graphics and icons and is commonly navigated by using a
computer mouse. 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.
Multiprocessing - An operating system capable of supporting and utilizing more
than one computer processor.
Multitasking - An operating system that is capable of allowing multiple software
processes to run at the same time.
Multithreading - Operating systems that allow different parts of software
program to run concurrently.
Operating System listing
Below is a listing of many of the different operating systems available today, the
dates they were released, the platforms they have been developed for, and who
developed them.
Operating system
Date first released
AIX and AIXL
Unix and Linux history.
AmigaOS
Currently no AmigaOS history.
Android
November 5, 2007
BSD
Unix and Linux history.
Caldera Linux
Unix and Linux history.
Corel Linux
Unix and Linux history.
Debian Linux
Unix and Linux history.
DUnix
Unix and Linux history.
DYNIX/ptx
Unix and Linux history.
HP-UX
Unix and Linux history.
iOS
2010
IRIX
Unix and Linux history.
Kondara Linux
Unix and Linux history.
Linux
Unix and Linux history.
MAC OS 8
Apple operating system history.
MAC OS 9
Apple operating system history.
MAC OS 10
Apple operating system history.
MAC OS X
Apple operating system history.
Mandrake Linux
Unix and Linux history.
MINIX
Unix and Linux history.
MS-DOS 1.x
MS-DOS history.
MS-DOS 2.x
MS-DOS history.
MS-DOS 3.x
MS-DOS history.
MS-DOS 4.x
MS-DOS history.
MS-DOS 5.x
MS-DOS history.

Platform
Various
Amiga
Mobile
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Mobile
Various
Various
Various
Apple Macintosh
Apple Macintosh
Apple Macintosh
Apple Macintosh
Various
Various
IBM
IBM
IBM
IBM
IBM

Developer
IBM
Commodore
Google
BSD
SCO
Corel
GNU
Digital
IBM
Hewlett Packard
Apple
SGI
Kondara
Linus Torvalds
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Mandrake
MINIX
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft

MS-DOS 6.x
NEXTSTEP
OS/2
OSF/1
QNX
Red Hat Linux
SCO
Slackware Linux
Sun Solaris
SuSE Linux
Symbian
System 1
System 2
System 3
System 4
System 6
System 7
System V
Tru64 Unix
Turbolinux
Ultrix
Unisys
Unix
UnixWare
VectorLinux
Windows 2000
Windows 2003
Windows 3.X
Windows 8
Windows 7
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows CE
Windows ME
Windows NT
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Xenix

MS-DOS history.
Apple operating system history.
1987
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
1997
Apple operating system history.
Apple operating system history.
Apple operating system history.
Apple operating system history.
Apple operating system history.
Apple operating system history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Unix and Linux history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Microsoft Windows history.
Unix and Linux history.

IBM
Various
IBM
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Mobile
Apple Macintosh
Apple Macintosh
Apple Macintosh
Apple Macintosh
Apple Macintosh
Apple Macintosh
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
Various
IBM
IBM
IBM
IBM
IBM
IBM
IBM
PDA
IBM
IBM
IBM
IBM
Various

Microsoft
Apple
IBM
OSF
QNX
Red Hat
SCO
Slackware
Sun
SuSE
Nokia
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
System V
Digital
Turbolinux
Ultrix
Unisys
Bell labs
UnixWare
VectorLinux
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft

What is a Computer Network?

A computer network is a system in which multiple computers are connected to
each other to share information and resources.

Characteristics of a computer
network

Share Resources from

one
computer
another

to

Create files and store

them in one computer,
access those files
from
the
other

computer(s) connected over the network

Connect a printer, scanner, or a fax machine to one computer within the

network and let other computers of the network use the machines
available over network.

Following is the list of hardware's required to setup a computer network.

Network Cables

Distributors

Routers

Internal Network Cards

External Network Cards

Network Cables
Network cables are used to connect
computers. The most commonly used
cable is Category 5 cable RJ-45.

Distributors
A computer can be connected to another
one via a serial port but if we need to
connect many computers to produce a
network, this serial connection will not
work. The solution is to use a central
body to which other computers, printers,
scanners etc. can be connected and
then this body will manage or distribute
network traffic.

Router
A router is a type of device which acts as the
central point among computers and other
devices that are part of a network. A router is
equipped with holes called ports and
computers and other devices are connected
to a router using network cables. Now-a-days
router comes in wireless modes using which
computers can be connected without any
physical cable.

Network Card
Network card is a necessary component of a computer without which a
computer cannot be connected over a network. It is also known as network
adapter or Network Interface Card (NIC). Most branded computers have
network card pre-installed. Network cards are of two types : Internal and
External Network Cards.

INTERNAL NETWORK CARDS

Motherboard has a slot for internal network card
where it is to be inserted. Internal network cards
are of two types in which first type uses
Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
connection while the second type uses Industry
Standard Architecture (ISA). Network cables are required to provide network
access.

EXTERNAL NETWORK CARDS

External network cards come in two
flavours : Wireless and USB based.
Wireless network card need to be
inserted into the motherboard but no
network cable is required to connect to
network

Universal Serial Bus (USB)

USB card are easy to use and connect via USB port.
Computers automatically detect USB card and can
install the drivers required to support the USB
network card automatically.