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The operating system is a very special piece of software. All the other applications software such as databases and spreadsheets communicate with the computer hardware through the operating system. The operating system controls the overall operation of the computer. It is the most important part of the systems software.
An operating system (or OS) is a computer program which controls the entire operation of the computer. Computer software applications communicate with the computer hardware via the operating system.
When you buy a computer it is usually supplied with an operating system already installed. You will not be able to use a computer without an operating system. Different operating systems are available for different types of computer and different purposes. Some popular operating systems are :
| Operating System | Description |
| MS-DOS® | A simple, command-driven operating system used on personal computers. |
| Windows 2000® | A WIMP based operating system used on most PC computers. |
| UNIX | A multi-user, multi-computer operating system which is used on large mainframe computers and networks. |
The choice of operating system will affect how a computer works. It will probably determine the type of user interface (command line, menu driven or graphical) that the computer uses and the types of processing (batch, transaction or real-time) that the computer can carry out.
Because an application such as a spreadsheet works by communicating with the operating system the application will probably only work with one particular operating system. If you buy Microsoft® Works® for Windows® 2000 it will only operate on computers with the Windows 2000 operating system. If you want to use Microsoft Works with the MS-DOS® operating system you will have to buy a different version of the application.
MS-DOS®, Windows® 2000 and Microsoft® Works® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.
GCSE ICT Companion 04 - (C) P Meakin 2004