It's no secret that the management of the operating system is carried out using programs and applications that have a specific practical focus and have their own functionality. After all, a clean shell cannot serve the user to solve his everyday tasks, for which, in fact, you need a personal computer. Therefore, now we have to figure out what the operating system is, what types of it is, what programs are needed to work with it.
What is an operating system?
An operating system is a collection of interconnected programs that can be used to control a computer and user interaction with an electronic computer. In fact, the place of the OS in the general architecture of a personal computer (in fact, as in smartphones, gadgets, and other modern devices) is located between devices (which include a processor, RAM, video card, and the like) and application programs. In modern computers, it consists of so-called packages, each of which is responsible for interacting with a specific device and performs a particular function.
Many people confuse operating system software packages with application software packages. Processing graphic files, creating and formatting text information, recording and processing sound files, exchanging information at a distance between users, programming and much more ... All this cannot be done using a clean operating system. For full-fledged work, certain application programs and applications are required. But the packages of the operating system only allow the graphical interface of the computer to function, to provide communication between devices and other programs. But still, the operating system itself is an ordered set of interconnected programs that provide information processing, and, as a result, the user's work with a personal computer.
What operating systems are there?
Currently, despite the abundance of companies specializing in the creation of software, system and application programs, a limited number of companies are engaged in the development of operating systems. Basically, this entire market is occupied by two IT giants: Microsoft and Apple. Operating systems include Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS. Other projects existed earlier (and even Soviet ones), however, for one reason or another, they ceased to exist.
The overwhelming advantage is on the side of Bill Gates: the Microsoft Windows operating system provides the work of more than 90% of personal computers around the world. This was largely due to the relatively free distribution of the shell (it can be used by computer manufacturers, but only with a licensed version). Windows 10 is the latest version from Microsoft. The remaining market share falls on Mac OS, which extends only to Apple products, due to which it loses to its main competitor.
What does not apply to operating systems?
Full-fledged software packages that provide user interaction with a computer, in no case can not be considered the shell and environment for software development. For example, LPT, SDK and several others.
Many believe that Linux does not apply to operating systems, since it is a freely developed shell. True or not, it's hard to say. It all depends on which side to approach the consideration of this issue. If we talk about Linux as the basis for mobile operating systems like Android, Bada or BlackBerry, then we can’t talk about it as an independent complex of programs. If we combine many independent systems developed on this basis under the word Linux, then it will be logical to consider it an operating system.
There is still a number of controversial questions about whether a particular software package belongs to the category we are considering. This primarily concerns DOS - the disk operating system. Referring to the fact that the name itself contains these cherished two words, many consider this shell an independent OS. But this is a fallacy. DOS - an interface that allows you to install on a Windows computer, no more. Therefore, it does not apply to operating systems.
What is software?
Software is a certain program or package of programs with the help of which the implementation of a particular function is carried out for which the operating system is intended. This category is the main one, because without it there is no point in using a personal computer. There are two types of software: system and application. We will describe and find the differences between them using the example of the most popular operating system - Microsoft Windows.
System programs
Considering the management of Windows itself, we need to talk about system software, since it is it that makes up the operating system. This category is the most important, since such software serves for the interaction of a person and a computer, that is, work is carried out with Windows. The set of such programs depends on what technical characteristics a personal computer has and what components are under the cover of the case. System software is divided into two types: basic and service or service.
Basic software provides the computer in principle. This category includes the operating system as such (that is, as a set of programs necessary to start the machine) and the operating shell (it allows you to display the system interface). Service programs are used for direct work with the system in full mode. In this regard, the following programs are related to operating systems:
1. Video card drivers. This is a package of programs that are necessary in order for the video card, which is located in the computer, to transfer the image of the controlled processes of the system to the screen. The main manufacturers of video cards are Nvidia and AMD, which, respectively, are engaged in the development of drivers for their products.
2. Sound card drivers. Such programs are necessary for the output of sounds produced by the operating system. Perhaps the only major supplier of such cards, and, accordingly, the software for them is Realtek.
3. Network utilities. As the name implies, they are needed for the operating system to work with the networks to which the computer is connected. Network programs, as a rule, are built by the developer and are used to connect, configure and work with networks. Provides network access to Windows utility Microsoft Net.
4. Software installation and uninstallation program. Such a tool is used to control mainly application programs. Using it, you can remove, modify and install programs and updates for your computer.
5. Security programs. This category is perhaps the most extensive among all service system software. This is explained as follows. Firstly, there are many different programs to protect user information from viruses and theft. These include a firewall (protection against network attacks and from viruses penetrating networks) and data encryption programs (encoding information for its further storage and protection).
6. Diagnostic programs for the processor and operating system. To monitor the state of memory of the operating system, with what frequency and performance the processor works, the presence of such programs is simply necessary.
Application programs
At the beginning of our discussion, we slightly touched on the functions for which the application software is intended. But this was by no means an exhaustive list, which, perhaps, is impossible to compile. Such programs are created for a variety of purposes: from working with databases to entertainment. We will consider only the most necessary for everyday work.
Work with text information
Entering, deleting, changing, formatting, transferring, encrypting, saving - this is not a complete list of operations that a user can carry out using such programs. The most popular, convenient and familiar set of programs for working with textual information is Microsoft Office. For a long time, it was necessary to purchase this package separately from the computer itself. However, now programs that come directly with operating systems include Word (a classic text editor), Excel (working with spreadsheets), PowerPoint (combining text and multimedia files in presentations), and OneNote (a text editor in the form of notes). In addition, among the standard programs of all versions of Windows there are Notepad and WordPad (simplified Word).
Work with multimedia information
Graphic files, audio and video, other multimedia files are created, edited and processed using additional software. Unlike the previous category, the leader among developers of such programs is not Microsoft, but Adobe. Packages, collectively called Creative Suite, contain a fairly wide selection of software products for working with multimedia. Among them, of course, is Photoshop, which is the most popular image editor. In addition, Adobe offers us Illustrator (vector graphics editor), After Effects (video editor), Acrobat (electronic documents in .pdf format), Audition (audio editor). Not included in the package, but also distributed program Adobe to play Flash Player web applications.
As for individual programs of this type, there are a great many different products that allow you to work with multimedia files. For example, the built-in Windows graphical editor Paint and a media player or freeware AIMP audio player.
Networking
It is unlikely that in our time, few people do not know about the Internet or have never used it in their life. But to access it, just having a network card, network utilities, and connectivity is not enough. In the vast majority of cases, you start working on the network through an Internet browser, of which there are countless. Windows 10 offers Microsoft Edge as the default browser, and Internet Explorer was its predecessor in earlier versions. But they are not very willing to use it because of the not very convenient interface and weak stability. Most Internet users prefer to use Yandex.Browser, Opera, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Here, as they say, it already tastes and color.
In addition, cloud file storage is now popular, with which people can access their files from different places and from different devices. Microsoft's standard service is OneDrive, which is built into Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. However, there are other services such as Dropbox, Yandex.Disk, and Google Drive.
Virus protection
A simple firewall and data encryption system is not enough to protect your information from intruders. Viruses that penetrate the operating system through various sources (the Internet, infected flash cards) can not only steal your data, but also disable the entire computer. The benefit of antiviruses in our time abound. Companies involved in developing security programs for operating systems include Norton, Kaspersky, Dr.Web, Avast, Avira, as well as dozens of others. The standard Windows defender, of course, protects the system well, but anti-virus programs from third-party companies still have much broader functionality.
Applications in Design Language
In operating systems such as Microsoft Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, which are being developed in a new style called Design Language, a new category of software has appeared - applications. Work with them is carried out in another graphical (tiled) interface, although in the "top ten" the user got the opportunity to combine regular programs and new ones. Applications can also be both application and system. The latter, unfortunately, have not yet been fully developed by specialists from Microsoft. For example, if you compare the “Toolbar” program and the “Settings” application, you will notice some differences in favor of the old settings panel, where there are still more functions. But, nevertheless, we can safely say that applications now also relate to operating systems.
Summing up the reasoning
The operation of operating systems depends on the availability of programs and packages that are necessary for the full functioning of a personal computer. System application packages allow him to interact with the user, perform simple operations, receive and display information using the operating shell. In order for the operating system to work, it is necessary to have a package of programs that interconnected processes ensure the operation and management of it. But in order to carry out more complex actions, work with information, you need to use application programs. There are quite a few of them, so each user can find for himself the exact program or package that will allow him to carry out the planned actions.
The Microsoft Windows operating system is constantly being improved and updated, so there are more and more new ways to work with information. Universal applications written in the Design Language style and working both on desktop computers and on mobile devices are starting to be used no less than the usual programs, and in the future they will completely replace the previous software. And this is quite logical, because the world is gradually moving from stationary computers and laptops to smartphones and tablets. We can only not get confused in this complex world of modern information technology.