Computer Basics —

Understanding Operating Systems

Computer Basics: Understanding Operating Systems

Lesson 8: 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 and processes, as well as 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 below to learn more about operating systems.

Looking for the old version of this video? You can still view it here.

The operating system’s job

Your computer’s operating system (OS) manages all of the software and hardware on the computer. Most of the time, there are several different computer 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 each program gets what it needs.

Types of operating systems

Operating systems usually come pre-loaded on any computer you buy. Most people use the operating system that comes with their computer, but it’s possible to upgrade or even change operating systems. The three most common operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Modern operating systems use a graphical user interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey). A GUI lets you use your mouse to click 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.

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft created the Windows operating system in the mid-1980s. There have been many different versions of Windows, but the most recent ones are Windows 10 (released in 2015), Windows 8 (2012), Windows 7 (2009), and Windows Vista (2007). Windows comes pre-loaded on most new PCs, which helps to make it the most popular operating system in the world.

Check out our tutorials on Windows Basics and specific Windows versions for more information.

macOS

macOS (previously called OS X) is a line of operating systems created by Apple. It comes preloaded on all Macintosh computers, or Macs. Some of the specific versions include Mojave (released in 2018), High Sierra (2017), and Sierra (2016).

According to StatCounter Global Stats, macOS users account for less than 10% of global operating systems—much lower than the percentage of Windows users (more than 80%). One reason for this is that Apple computers tend to be more expensive. However, many people do prefer the look and feel of macOS over Windows.

Check out our macOS Basics tutorial for more information.

Linux

Linux (pronounced LINN-ux) is a family of open-source operating systems, which means they can be modified and distributed by anyone around the world. This is different from proprietary software like Windows, which can only be modified by the company that owns it. The advantages of Linux are that it is free, and there are many different distributions—or versions—you can choose from.

According to StatCounter Global Stats, Linux users account for less than 2% of global operating systems. However, most servers run Linux because it’s relatively easy to customize.

To learn more about different distributions of Linux, visit the Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Fedora websites, or refer to our Linux Resources. For a more comprehensive list, you can visit MakeUseOf’s list of The Best Linux Distributions.

Operating systems for mobile devices

The operating systems we’ve been talking about so far were designed to run on desktop and laptop computers. Mobile devices such as phones, tablet computers, and MP3 players are different from desktop and laptop computers, so they run operating systems that are designed specifically for mobile devices. Examples of mobile operating systems include Apple iOS and Google Android . In the screenshot below, you can see iOS running on an iPad.

Operating systems for mobile devices generally aren’t as fully featured as those made for desktop and laptop computers, and they aren’t able to run all of the same software. However, you can still do a lot of things with them, like watch movies, browse the Web, manage your calendar, and play games.

To learn more about mobile operating systems, check out our Mobile Devices tutorials.

Windows (operating system)

Windows is a series of operating systems produced and maintained by the Microsoft Corporation. It was estimated that as of December 2007 [1] Microsoft Windows accounted for nearly 90% of operating system usage, with 3 out of 4 being Windows XP. Windows is used for desktop, and server computers, [2] and more recently also for cellular phones and tablet computers. It is intended for use with the Intel x86-64 family of processors.

Early versions of Windows (98 and earlier) were notoriously unreliable, despite (or maybe because of?) Microsoft’s near-monopoly share of the operating system market. They crashed so often that the term «blue screen of death» entered the vocabulary. See also this satire: Matrix Runs on Windows XP

Initially Windows was a text-based system (MS-DOS). Then a Graphical User Interface extension was added onto this MS-DOS core [3] It became a full GUI operating system free of the MS-DOS core beginning with the release of Windows NT.

Contents

Windows Major Release Versions

Professional: 650MB
Server and Advanced Server: 1GB [11]

Name	Version Number	Public Release	Notes	Editions	Minimum RAM required	Minimum drive space
Windows 1.0	1.0	November 20, 1985 [4]	Sold 500,000 copies [5]
Windows 1.02	1.02	May 1986	Multilingual (international) release of 1.0
Windows 1.03	1.03	August 1986	Further upgrades for international use, including more drivers and European keyboard support
Windows 1.04	1.04	April 1987	Further functionality additions, including support for IBM PS/2 computers
Windows 2.0	2.11	March 13, 1989	Last Windows version to run a GUI as a shell over a base of MS-DOS [6] Sold 1 million copies
Windows 3.0	NT 3.0	May 22, 1990	First Windows version to run without an MS-DOS base [6] Sold 4 million copies
Windows 3.1	3.1	April 1992	First MS operating system on CD-ROM	Windows 3.1 Windows for Workgroups 3.1 (October 1992)	1MB	i286 15MB
Windows 3.2	November 22, 1993	Chinese version of Windows 3.1
Windows NT 3.5	3.5.807	September 21, 1994	Workstation Server
Windows NT 3.51	3.51.1057	May 30, 1995	An operating system design that led to the elimination of Novell Networks leading market share. This New Technologies (NT) kernel became the basis for all future Windows versions through Windows 10.	Workstation Server
Windows 95	NT 4.0.950	August 24, 1995	Uses the same skin as 98, 2000, and ME	4MB [7]	40.8-76.2MB [8]
Windows NT 4.0	NT 4.0	July 29, 1996	Workstation Server Server Enterprise Terminal Server
Windows CE Alder [9]	CE 1.0	November 16, 1996 [9]	2MB
Windows CE Birch [9]	CE 2.0	November 1997 [9]	Auto PC platform introduced [10]
Windows 98	NT 4.1.1998	June 25, 1998	Uses the same skin as 95, 2000, and ME	16MB	500MB
Windows 98 Second Edition	NT 4.1.2222	April 23, 1999	Uses the same skin as 95, 2000, and ME
Windows CE 2.1
Windows 2000	NT 5.0.2195	February 17, 2000	Uses the same skin as 95, 98, and ME Last dedicated operating system for business use	Professional Server Advanced Server Datacenter Server Xbox Xbox 360
Windows CE Cedar	CE 3.0	April 2000	Windows CE for Automotive
Windows ME	NT 4.90.3000	September 14, 2000	Uses the same skin as 95, 98, and 2000 Last dedicated operating system for personal use
Windows XP	5.1.2600	October 25, 2001	Last major version to use this layout, which was introduced with Windows 95 XP was the beginning of one unified O/S for both personal and business use. Only one version is still supported by Microsoft, XP Embedded until January 2019. Sold 400 million copies	Starter Home Professional Professional x64 Media Center 2002 Media Center 2004 Media Center 2005 Tablet PC Embedded	x32/x86: 64MB [12] x64: 256MB	1.5GB
Windows CE Talisker [9]	CE 4.0	January 7, 2002
Windows CE Jameson [9]	CE 4.1	June 2002 [9]	Windows Automotive
Windows CE McKendric [9]	CE 4.2	April 2003 [9]	Windows Automotive 4.2
Windows Server 2003	NT 5.2	2003
Windows CE Macallan [9]	CE 5.0	August 2004 [9]	Windows Automotive 5.0	6MB [13]
Windows Server 2003 R2	2006
Windows CE Yamazaki [9]	CE 6.0	September 2006 [9]	Microsoft Auto 3.0 Zune HD
Windows Vista	NT 6.0.6000	January 30, 2007	System uses new layout, but started out with some problems Sold 180 million copies Extended support ends April 11, 2017 [14]	Starter Home Basic Home Premium Business Ultimate Enterprise	Home Basic: 512MB, All Others: 1GB [15]	20GB
Windows Server 2008	February 27, 2008	512 MB	Foundation: 10GB, other x32/86: 20GB, other x64: 32GB
Windows 7	NT 6.1.7600	October 22, 2009	Uses the same basic layout as Vista, but system is more stable Sold 600 million copies Extended support ends January 14, 2020	Starter Home Basic Home Premium Professional Enterprise Ultimate Thin PC	x32/x86: 1GB, x64: 2GB [12]	x32/x86: 16GB, x64: 20GB
Windows Server 2008 R2	2010	HPC Standard Enterprise Itanium	512 MB	Foundation: 10GB, others: 32GB
Windows Embedded Compact 7	CE 6.0 R3	2011	Windows Embedded Automotive 7 Windows Phone 7
Windows Server 2012	NT 6.2	2012	Foundation Essentials Standard Datacenter	512MB	32GB
Windows 8	NT 6.2	October 26, 2012	Designed to serve as an OS for all kinds of devices, including smartphones Also did away with the Start menu Sold surprisingly poorly Extended support ends January 10, 2023	Standard Professional Enterprise Embedded	x32/x86: 1GB, x64: 2GB [16]	x32/x86: 16GB, x64: 20GB
Windows RT	NT 6.3	October 30, 2012	Designed exclusively for ARMv7 processors Based on Windows 8 without an upgrade path to Windows 10 Support already phasing out	Embedded	32-Bit: 2GB [16]	32-Bit: 20GB, 32GB
Windows Server 2012 R2	NT 6.3	2013	Foundation Essentials Standard Datacenter	512MB	32GB
Windows 8.1	NT 6.3	October 17, 2013	Slight update from 8.0 which brings back the Start button	Standard Professional Enterprise Embedded	x32/x86: 1GB, x64: 2GB [16]
Windows 10	NT 6.4 [17]	July 29, 2015	Designed to collect personal information and customize itself based on preferences 270 million copies of version 10 are in use as of March 2016. [18] Extended support ends October 14, 2025	Home Professional Enterprise Education Mobile Mobile Enterprise IoT Core Xbox One	x32/x86: 1GB, x64: 2GB [19]	x32/x86: 16GB, x64: 20GB [20][21]
Windows Server 2016	October 12, 2016 (RTM: September 26, 2016)	Essentials Standard Datacenter
Name	Version Number	Public Release	Notes	Editions	Minimum RAM required	Minimum drive space

(Some popular NT releases are listed in bold and special server releases are listed in italic.) [22] [23] [24] [25]