Computer Training

Computer Basics

Understanding Operating Systems

What is an Operating System?

An operating system is the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages the computer's memory, processes, and all of its software and hardware. It also allows you to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's "language." Without an operating system, a computer is useless.

Watch the video to learn about operating systems.

The Operating System's Job

Watch the video (1:46). Need help?

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You've probably heard the phrase boot your computer, but do you know what that means? Booting is the process that occurs when you press the power button to turn your computer on. During this process (which may take a minute or two), the computer does several things:

● It runs tests to make sure everything is working correctly.

● It checks for new hardware.

● It then starts up the operating system.

Windows 7 startup screen

Once the operating system has started up, it manages all of the software and hardware on the computer. Most of the time, there are many different programs running at the same time, and they all need to access your computer's Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, and storage. The operating system coordinates all of this to make sure that each program gets what it needs. Without the operating system, the software wouldn't even be able to talk to the hardware, and the computer would be useless.

Windows 7, after starting up

Types of Operating Systems

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Operating systems usually come preloaded on any computer that you buy. Most people use the operating system that comes with their computer, but it is possible to upgrade or even change operating systems.

The three most common operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X, and Linux.

The Windows, OS X, and Linux logos

Modern operating systems use a Graphical User Interface, or GUI (pronounced "gooey"). A GUI lets you use your mouse to click on icons, buttons, and menus, and everything is clearly displayed on the screen using a combination of graphics and text.

Each operating system's GUI has a different look and feel, so if you switch to a different operating system it may seem unfamiliar at first. However, modern operating systems are designed to be easy to use, and most of the basic principles are the same.

The Windows GUI The OS X GUI

Before GUIs, computers had a command-line interface, which meant the user had to type every single command to the computer, and the computer would only display text.

Microsoft Windows

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Microsoft created the Windows operating system in the mid-1980s. Over the years, there have been many different versions of Windows, but the most popular ones are Windows 7 (released in 2009), Windows

Vista (2007, )and Windows XP (2001. )Windows comes preloaded on most new PCs, which helps to make it the most popular operating system in the world.

If you're buying a new computer or upgrading to a new version of Windows, you can choose from several different editions of Windows, includingHome Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. For most users, Home Premium offers enough features, but many people choose one of the more expensive editions.

Windows 7

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