Introduction to Operating Systems

Summary

This introductory lecture on Operating Systems (OS) emphasizes their crucial role in managing computer hardware and serving as an intermediary for users and applications. The script outlines the basic structure of a computer system, differentiates between system and application software, and highlights OS functions such as resource allocation and memory management. It also introduces various types of OS, including batch, time-sharing, and real-time systems, and underscores the goals of convenience and efficiency in OS design.

Takeaways

• 📘 The Operating System (OS) is a crucial course for Computer Science and Electronic students, consisting of theories and practical problems.
• 🖥️ An Operating System is a program that manages computer hardware and acts as an intermediary between the user and the hardware.
• 💡 Examples of common Operating Systems include Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, macOS, iOS, and Android.
• 🔍 The basic structure of a computer system includes hardware components like CPU, memory, and I/O devices, which are managed by the OS.
• 🔑 System Software, including the OS, is used to command or modify computer hardware, while Application Software performs specific tasks for users.
• 🛠️ Without an OS, users would need to communicate directly with hardware using code, making tasks tedious and complex.
• 🔄 The OS simplifies tasks by handling the allocation of resources, memory management, and communication between the user and hardware.
• 🔑 The primary functions of an OS include acting as an interface, resource allocation, memory management, and security.
• 🏆 The goals of an OS are to provide convenience and efficiency in the use of computer systems.
• 🌐 There are various types of operating systems, such as batch, time-sharing, distributed, network, real-time, and multi-tasking systems, each serving different needs.
• 📚 The lecture series will cover the design and details of operating systems step by step.

Q & A

What is the primary function of an Operating System?

The primary function of an Operating System (OS) is to manage computer hardware and provide a basis for application programs. It acts as an intermediary between the computer user and computer hardware.

Why is the Operating System considered important in a Computer Science course?

The Operating System is crucial because it underpins the functioning of computer systems, managing resources like CPU, memory, and I/O devices, and ensuring efficient and convenient interaction between the user and the computer.

What are some examples of widely used Operating Systems?

Examples of widely used Operating Systems include Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, macOS, iOS, and Android.

How does the Operating System simplify the usage of a computer system for users?

The Operating System simplifies computer usage by handling complex tasks like loading programs, managing memory, and communicating with hardware, allowing users to perform tasks without needing to write explicit code for each action.

What are the two main types of software mentioned in the script?

The two main types of software mentioned are System Software, which directly commands or modifies computer hardware, and Application Software, which performs specific tasks for users.

What is the role of the Operating System in resource allocation?

The Operating System efficiently allocates limited resources such as CPU, memory, and I/O devices among different users and processes, ensuring smooth and fair operation.

What are some types of Operating Systems listed in the script?

Types of Operating Systems listed include batch operating systems, time-sharing operating systems, distributed operating systems, network operating systems, real-time operating systems, and multiprogramming/multiprocessing/multitasking operating systems.

What are the primary functions of an Operating System?

Primary functions of an Operating System include acting as an interface between the user and hardware, allocating resources, managing memory, and ensuring system security.

What are the goals of an Operating System according to the script?

The goals of an Operating System are convenience, making the system easy to use, and efficiency, ensuring resources are managed effectively.

How does the script explain the interaction between users, application programs, and computer hardware in the absence of an Operating System?

In the absence of an Operating System, users would have to manually write code to interact with hardware for every task, making it extremely tedious and difficult. The Operating System automates these interactions, simplifying the process for users.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Operating Systems

This paragraph introduces the concept of Operating Systems (OS) as crucial components in Computer Science and Electronics, emphasizing their theoretical and practical aspects. The lecturer explains that an OS is a program managing computer hardware and serving as an intermediary for users and hardware. Common examples of OS include Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, macOS, iOS, and Android. A diagram is used to illustrate the basic computer system structure, highlighting hardware components like CPU, memory, and I/O devices, and distinguishing between system software and application software. The paragraph sets the stage for a deeper dive into OS functions and types.

05:04

🖥️ The Role of Operating Systems in Computing

The second paragraph delves into the practical implications of operating systems, illustrating how they simplify user interactions with computer hardware. Without an OS, users would have to manually code every task, making computing extremely tedious. The lecturer uses the example of a user typing a document in Microsoft Word to demonstrate the complexity of direct hardware interaction. The introduction of an OS acts as a buffer, handling low-level operations and allowing users to perform tasks with ease. This intermediary role is vital for the usability and efficiency of computer systems, making them accessible to a broader audience.

10:06

🔧 Functions and Types of Operating Systems

This paragraph outlines the primary functions of an operating system, such as acting as an interface between users and hardware, allocating resources efficiently, and managing memory and security. The lecturer introduces various types of operating systems, including batch, time-sharing, distributed, network, real-time, and multi-tasking systems, promising a more detailed explanation in future lectures. The goal of these systems is to provide convenience and efficiency in computing, with the paragraph serving as an overview of the diverse roles and characteristics of different OS types.

15:10

🎯 Goals and Overview of Operating Systems

The final paragraph wraps up the lecture by summarizing the goals of operating systems, which are to provide convenience and efficiency in user interactions with computer hardware. It reiterates the importance of the OS in managing resources and memory to facilitate seamless computation. The paragraph also reviews the types and functions of operating systems covered in the lecture, reinforcing the foundational knowledge needed to understand the complexity of OS design. The lecturer assures that a step-by-step exploration of OS will be provided in the lecture series, concluding the introduction with an invitation to the next session.

Keywords

💡Operating System (OS)

An Operating System (OS) is the software that manages computer hardware resources and provides services for computer programs. It acts as an intermediary between the user and the hardware, simplifying the process of executing tasks. In the video, the OS is described as crucial for both computer science students and electronics students, with examples including Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, macOS, iOS, and Android.

💡Computer Hardware

Computer hardware refers to the physical components of a computer system, such as the CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, and I/O devices (Input-Output devices). These components are managed by the OS, which allocates resources to processes and users. The script explains that without an OS, users would have to communicate with the hardware directly through code, which is impractical for most users.

💡System Software

System software is a type of software designed to operate and control the computer hardware and provide a platform for running application software. The OS is a primary example of system software, as it directly commands or modifies computer hardware. The script distinguishes system software from application software, which is used for specific tasks by users.

💡Application Programs

Application programs, or applications, are software designed to perform specific tasks for the user. Examples given in the script include Microsoft Office Word for document creation, Microsoft Excel for spreadsheets, compilers for writing code, text editors like Notepad, and web browsers for internet access. These programs rely on the OS to function effectively.

💡Resource Allocation

Resource allocation is the process by which an OS assigns hardware resources to different processes or users. This includes managing access to the CPU, memory, and I/O devices. The script emphasizes the importance of efficient resource allocation to ensure that all users and processes are served fairly and effectively.

💡Memory Management

Memory management is a key function of the OS, which involves controlling the primary (RAM) and secondary (ROM, hard disk) memory. The script mentions that the OS is responsible for loading programs into memory, saving data, and ensuring secure storage. This function is crucial for the efficient operation of the computer system.

💡User Interface

The user interface in an OS is the means by which users interact with the computer. The script describes the OS as an interface between the user and the hardware, simplifying tasks that would otherwise require direct communication with the hardware through code.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in the context of an OS refers to the optimal use of system resources to perform tasks quickly and with minimal waste. The script explains that the OS aims to provide efficiency by managing resources and memory, ensuring that the system runs smoothly and that users can perform tasks without unnecessary delays.

💡Convenience

Convenience is one of the primary goals of an OS, as mentioned in the script. It refers to the ease with which users can perform tasks on the computer. The OS provides convenience by abstracting the complexity of hardware interactions, allowing users to focus on their tasks rather than the underlying technology.

💡Types of Operating Systems

The script introduces various types of operating systems, including batch, time-sharing, distributed, network, real-time, and multiprogramming/multiprocessing/multitasking systems. Each type is designed to meet specific needs and operates differently, but the script does not delve into the specifics, promising a more detailed explanation in a future lecture.

Highlights

Introduction to the Operating System course, emphasizing its importance for Computer Science and Electronic students.

Explanation of the Operating System (OS) as a program that manages computer hardware and provides a basis for application programs.

Description of the OS as an intermediary between computer users and computer hardware.

Examples of widely used Operating Systems: WINDOWS, LINUX, UBUNTU, macOS, iOS, and Android.

Illustration of the basic structure of a computer system with a diagram to understand the role of the OS.

Definition of computer hardware components including CPU, memory, and I/O devices.

Differentiation between System Software and Application Software, with the OS as a type of system software.

Examples of Application Programs such as Word Processors, Spreadsheets, Compilers, Text Editors, and Web Browsers.

Demonstration of the complexity of using a computer without an OS, requiring explicit communication with hardware through code.

The role of the OS in simplifying user interaction with computer hardware, abstracting the need for manual coding.

The OS's function as an interface, resource allocator, and manager of memory and security.

Introduction to various types of Operating Systems: batch, time-sharing, distributed, network, real-time, and multiprogramming/multiprocessing/multitasking.

The primary functions of the OS, including acting as an interface, allocating resources, and managing memory and security.

The goals of an OS: to provide convenience and efficiency in the use of computer systems.

Overview of the lecture series structure, which will delve deeper into the design and functions of the OS.

Conclusion summarizing the introduction to the OS, its types, functions, and the computer system's basic components.

Transcripts

Hello everyone,

welcome to the first lecture in the course Operating System.

Operating System course is very important as far as Computer Science is concerned

Also, Electronic students, you may

have this subject in your course,

so it is equally important.

This subject consists of mostly theories

as well as problems, so first, we will see the theory,

and also we will solve the problems related to this subject.

We will see what the subject means

and what we can learn from the subject.

So, First of all, this is just an introduction to the Operating system,

and we will see what this Operating System means,

what are the functions of the Operating System.

What are the types of Operating System we have

and we will just try to

get a brief idea of the subject.

Alright, so let's get started.

So, here it says that an Operating System also abbreviated as OS

is a program that manages the computer hardware.

It also provides a basis for application programs

and acts as an intermediary between

computer user and computer hardware.

So, before we understand these two lines,

I will be explaining it to you with a diagram.

But, before going to the diagram,

here are some examples of Operating Systems that we widely used in these days.

First is your WINDOWS,

so maybe you are using WINDOWS in your desktop or laptop.

It is one of the famous Operating Systems used by many people.

Also we have LINUX and UBUNTU,

Which are the two open-source Operating Systems that are

widely used on your desktop, laptop, and other devices.

Then we have the macOS,

which is the Operating System from Apple,

so in their laptops or in their MacBooks, they use macOS X,

and in iPhones, we find the iOS Operating Systems.

Then we have a very famous Android, which you must be having in your phones.

So, Android is one of the most famous Operating System,

that is used in your mobile devices.

Alright!

So now before we try to understand these two lines that we have written here

let us take a diagram to understand the basic structure of the computer system,

So that we can understand what is an Operating system

and what does an Operating System actually do.

So here I have a diagram

which represents the basic structure and components of a computer system.

So first of all at the lowermost level we have the computer hardware.

What are computer hardwares?

Computer hardware consists of resources like

CPU which is the Central Processing Unit,

and memory, and I/O devices,

which means Input-Output devices.

So, your resources are the processing unit,

the CPU, and the memory,

that consists of primary memory like RAM and secondary memory like ROM.

These things I will explain in a detailed way in another lecture.

So, let's first know the Memories, as well as the I/O devices.

I/O devices means the input-output devices.

These are the devices that you used for either giving input to your system

or for getting output out of your system.

So, the example of input devices will include

devices like keyboard, mouse, and microphones.

these are the devices that are used for giving inputs into the system.

Output devices would be the devices that are used to get output out of the system.

That would be the devices, like monitors, speakers which give you output

(show you or make you hear the output).

So, all these things fall under computer hardware.

We generally refer them to as resources.

Alright! then on the top of these we have the Operating System.

But for now, let us just forget about the Operating system for a while,

let's just assume it is not there and then on the top of the Operating System

we have the system or the application programs.

Now, there are two kinds of software that we have,

which is System Software and Application Software.

System Software are the software,

that are used to directly command or modify computer hardware.

The Operating System is also a kind of system software

but now, let's not get confused by thinking about it.

Now just, mainly try to understand what are Application Programs?

Application Programs are the programs or the software,

that are used to perform a specific task and that can be directly used by users.

These are some examples that we have here,

first is the Word Processor.

Word processors like Microsoft Office Word

is used for making document files,

I believe that we all have used it,

and then we have SpreadSheet.

SpreadSheets are like Microsoft Excel,

which is used for making tabular data or some calculation on that table.

Then we have Compilers,

so if you are a Computer Science student, you may know what Compilers are.

Compilers are the software used for writing computer code.

Examples C, C++, JAVA, are written into the Compiler.

Then we have the Text Editor,

which is for modifying and writing text. Examples Notepad, Wordpad.

Then we have the Web Browser.

Web Browser is the software, that enables users to browse the web.

Even when you are watching this video on YouTube,

you may be using some web browser to view this.

For examples Google Chrome, Mozilla FireFox, Internet Explorer.

So, these are not the only application programs that we have,

we have many other ones too.

These are just a few examples to make you understand.

So, these are the application programs that we have.

Also, there are users, like you and me.

who are trying to use these software to perform specific task.

So, let's take a simple example that this user one,

he wants to use a word processor let's say it is Microsoft Office Word,

so that he can type a document and save it to his system.

So, let's see how he does it.

Let's imagine, there is no operating system over here.

We just have this user,

the application program, and the computer hardware.

So, if he wants to write a document,

or he wants to type something on Microsoft Word,

then he has to tell the computer hardware that he wants to do it.

Now, how can he do it?

As there is no operating system,

he has to tell explicitly to the computer hardware,

what he wants to do in the form of code.

So he has to open Microsoft Word and request the computer hardware to load it,

that please load it into the main memory,

and then after it is loaded,

he has to type something and that should be displayed on the monitor.

He has to tell the computer hardware to do even that,

please display the thing that I am typing on the screen or the monitor.

And then after doing all that he has to save it,

and even for saving it, he has to tell the computer hardware

that I am done with all my typing

and now please save this file with a particular file name to my hard disk.

So, every small and minute task you perform,

you have to tell explicitly to the computer hardware what to do.

And how do you communicate to it?

In the form of codes.

You have to write source code and write codes for everything you perform.

So, we can see that it is a very tedious and difficult task to do

if there is no operating system.

You have to manually tell the computer hardware

each and everything that you have to do.

So, if it was like this, then nobody would actually use a computer system,

at least common people would not use the computer system

because it is such a tedious thing.

It is very difficult to perform even the simplest of task.

So, in order to overcome this problem, we have the Operating system.

The Operating System resides between the computer hardware and the users.

So, it is an intermediary,

that acts between the computer hardware and the user.

Let's take the first example that we have previously taken.

Suppose the user one wants to type something and save this to Microsoft Word.

So what he does?

He just double clicked on the Microsoft word.

And then the rest of the things - the operating system takes care of it.

It just open it for him,make the screen ready for him for typing

and whatever he types, the operating system tells the hardware what to do,

So it will be typed and displayed on the screen.

Everything that otherwise would have to be done manually by the users

is now taken care by the Operating System.

After typing it, he has to save it.

The operating system tells the computer hardware where to save it,

how to save it, and how much memory to allocate.

Everything is done by the Operating System.

All those minute things which we have to do in absence of Operating system

are now done by the Operating System.

And it becomes very easy for the user to use the computer system.

So, the user just open the computer

and open what he wants to use and uses it.

And all the underlying things that has to happen,

and the communication that has to happen between

the computer hardware and the user

is taken care by the Operating System.

It does all for the user,

and thus the computing or the usage of computer

becomes very easy for the users because of the presence of Operating System.

So, that is the main task of an Operating System.

Now if we look back to these two lines that we have written,

it will make sense and you will understand what it actually means.

So, let's read it once again.

An Operating System is a program that manages the computer hardware,

Yes! we saw that

the computer hardware and how its resources like CPU, Memory,

I/O devices and everything is managed by the Operating System.

It also provides the basis for application program

and acts as intermediary between

the computer users and the computer hardware.

So, it provides the basis for the application program.

So, here we have the application program installed on the Operating System.

It provides the base for the application program

and also it acts as an intermediary between

the computer user and the computer hardware.

So, here we have the users and the hardware,

and the operating system,

which acts as an intermediary between the user and the hardware,

thus making the process of computation

and usage of computer seamless and very easy for the users.

So, that is the main function of an operating system.

I hope

that made you understand what an operating system does.

Now, we will see some of the types of Operating System, that we have,

also the functions of the Operating System,

and what are the goals that an operating system needs to achieve.

So, here I have some types of the operating system.

The first one is the batch operating system.

Then the Time-sharing operating system.

Distributed operating system.

Network operating system.

Real-time operating system.

Multi programming/Multi processing/ Multi tasking Operating System

Though the list is not just limited to these,

but these are some main types of the operating system, that we have.

Don't worry even if you don't understand these

I will do another lecture

where I will explain

all the types of the operating system in a clear manner.

I am just introducing these to you

so that you just get to used the terms that we have here.

So, all these types of the operating system, they perform in a different way

based on the need that we have.

So you just remember that much and keep these in your mind.

And let's see what are the functions of the Operating System.

The primary functions of the operating system are

First, it is an interface between the user and the hardware.

Yes! we just saw that right now,

We have a user and a hardware here and It acts as an interface between the two.

Second is allocation of resources.

I have already told you what does it mean by resources.

What we mean by resources are

the hardware that we have like the Central Processing Unit,

the Memory, and the Input-Output devices.

So, when a user or different user wants to use the different resources,

they have to be allocated.

Our resources are not unlimited, we have limited resources

that means we have limited hardwares

So, how these resources are allocated in such a way that everybody gets its share

and it performs in an efficient manner.

All these are done by the operating system.

So, it allocates resources to different users and different processes

in an efficient manner.

That is the functions of the operating system.

It also does the management of memory, security et cetera.

I told you even when we were typing into the word processor.

We have to first load it into the main memory,

and then after typing, it has to be saved into the secondary memory or the hard disk.

And don't worry

if you don't understand what is main memory and secondary memory and all

I will explain all these in a clear way in the coming lectures.

So, just want you to understand that

How the memory is managed

how things are stored and where they are stored.

Everythig is managed by the operating system.

and how securely these things are done

that is also managed by the operating system.

So, these are the some main functions of the operating system.

Now, let's see what are the goals of operating system.

As we have studied this much,

We must know just by studying all these functions of the operating system,

We can just assume what its goal can be.

First, convenience

So, I told you in that example that if we were not having an operating system

how tedious or tough it would be to

execute even the smallest of task by the user.

But having an operating system on top of our computer hardware

makes it very easy for the user to

communicate to the computer hardware.

So, it becomes very convenient for the users.

So, the first goal of operating system is to provide convenience.

And the second is Efficiency.

And now what do we mean by efficiency?

If you don't have the operating system

and we have different users trying to access the resources,

then how would you efficiently manage the resources

that you should get this much resources and the other person should get that much.

So, if you do it manually it is going to be very tough,

and there is very less chance that you are going to manage it efficiently.

So, the operating system by taking care of all this allocation of resources

and management of memory and everything,

it provides you an efficient usage of your system.

So, the first one is Convenience and the second one is efficiency.

So, many operating systems are designed mainly for convenience,

some are designed for efficiency.

But mostly, most of the operating systems are designed for both.

for both convenience and efficiency.

So, these are the goals of the operating system,

which we achieve by the functions of the operating system.

So, in this lecture we have seen the types of the operating system,

the function of the operating system,

and the basic structure and basic components of computer system.

and we have seen what the operating system does

in order to make computation very easy for us.

We have also seen some examples of the operating systems

that we widely used.

So, I hope this was clear to you.

This was just an introduction to

get you started, so that you know what an operating system is.

Now you must have understand

how complex task the operating system perform.

So, all the design of the operating system

and everything that we need to know about the operating system,

We will study step by step in this lecture series.

So, I hope this introduction was clear to you.

Thank you for watching and See you in the next one!