Essential Guide to Computing: The Story of Information Technology, The

Conclusion

The operating system, initially a luxury in computing, has evolved to become a necessity for all but the simplest systems. The modern OS provides a range of critical functions that include supervising the use of system resources, providing services to users and programmers, maintaining security, and managing communications in networked environments. The dominant software architecture at the moment is one that separates the OS into two layers—a kernel that connects directly to the CPU/memory system, and a user section that provides connections to applications and to the user interface. This layered approach enhances efficiency, stability, and portability. The advent of inexpensive multiprocessing hardware will put pressure on OS and ...