operating system
     n : (computer science) software that controls the execution of
         computer programs and may provide various services [syn:
         OS]

	

	operating system n. [techspeak] (Often abbreviated `OS') The
   foundation software of a machine; that which schedules tasks, allocates
   storage, and presents a default interface to the user between
   applications. The facilities an operating system provides and its
   general design philosophy exert an extremely strong influence on
   programming style and on the technical cultures that grow up around its
   host machines. Hacker folklore has been shaped primarily by the
   Unix, ITS, TOPS-10, TOPS-20/TWENEX, WAITS,
   CP/M, MS-DOS, and Multics operating systems (most
   importantly by ITS and Unix).

	

	operating system
     
         (OS) The low-level software which handles
        the interface to peripheral hardware, schedules tasks,
        allocates storage, and presents a default interface to the
        user when no application program is running.
     
        The OS may be split into a kernel which is always present
        and various system programs which use facilities provided by
        the kernel to perform higher-level house-keeping tasks,
        often acting as servers in a client-server relationship.
     
        Some would include a graphical user interface and window
        system as part of the OS, others would not.  The operating
        system loader, BIOS, or other firmware required at boot
        time or when installing the operating system would generally
        not be considered part of the operating system, though this
        distinction is unclear in the case of a rommable operating
        system such as RISC OS.
     
        The facilities an operating system provides and its general
        design philosophy exert an extremely strong influence on
        programming style and on the technical cultures that grow up
        around the machines on which it runs.
     
        Example operating systems include 386BSD, AIX, AOS,
        Amoeba, Angel, Artemis microkernel, BeOS, Brazil,
        COS, CP/M, CTSS, Chorus, DACNOS, DOSEXEC 2,
        GCOS, GEORGE 3, GEOS, ITS, KAOS, Linux, LynxOS,
        MPV, MS-DOS, MVS, Mach, Macintosh operating system,
        Microsoft Windows, MINIX, Multics, Multipop-68,
        Novell NetWare, OS-9, OS/2, Pick, Plan 9, QNX,
        RISC OS, STING, System V, System/360, TOPS-10,
        TOPS-20, TRUSIX, TWENEX, TYMCOM-X, Thoth, Unix,
        VM/CMS, VMS, VRTX, VSTa, VxWorks, WAITS.
     
        FAQ
        (ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/usenet/news-info/comp.os.research).
     
        Usenet newsgroup: news:comp.os.research.
     
        [Jargon File]
     
        (1999-06-09)