Pointers to Review – Operating Systems (Lessons
1–3)
Lesson 1 – Fundamentals of Operating Systems (Introduction &
Meaning)
• Definition: An Operating System (OS) is a collection of programs that act as an interface between
a user and computer hardware.
• Roles of the OS: Referee (resource manager), Illusionist (virtualization), Glue (common services).
• Goals: Execute user programs, make system convenient, use hardware efficiently.
• Main Components of a Computer System: Hardware, Operating System, Application Software,
Users.
• Functions of the OS: process management, memory management, file management, I/O
management, security & protection.
Lesson 2 – History of Operating Systems
• Early Computers: No OS, programs loaded manually (punched cards, switches). Alan Turing’s
Universal Turing Machine influenced OS concepts.
• Phase 1 (1945–1955): Single-user, hand-programmed, OS = loader + libraries, problem = low
utilization of hardware.
• Batch Systems (1955–1965): Loader + sequencer + output processor; jobs grouped in batches.
• Multiprogramming (1965–1980): Multiple jobs in memory, CPU shared across jobs.
• Time-Sharing (1970– ): Multiple users via terminals, timer interrupt multiplexes CPU.
• Phase 3 (1980s–present): Hardware cheap, humans expensive; personal, distributed, and
ubiquitous computing. Emphasis on UI and applications.
Lesson 3 – Structures of Operating Systems
• Monolithic Structure: All services in one kernel; Example: MS-DOS. Adv: high performance.
Disadv: no clear boundaries, system crash risk.
• Micro-Kernel Structure: Small kernel, services in user space; Example: Mac OS. Adv: secure,
portable. Disadv: performance loss due to IPC.
• Hybrid Kernel: Combines monolithic speed + micro-kernel modularity; Example: Windows NT,
Mac OS. Adv: balanced performance. Disadv: complex.
• Exo-Kernel: Developed at MIT, separates resource protection from management. Adv: high
performance. Disadv: complex, less consistent.
• Layered Structure: OS in levels; Example: UNIX. Adv: easy debugging. Disadv: overhead from
data passing.
• Modular Structure: Kernel + loadable modules; Example: Solaris. Adv: flexible, dynamic. Disadv:
design complexity.
• Virtual Machines: Hardware abstraction into multiple environments; Example: VirtualBox. Adv:
multiple OS on one machine. Disadv: disk & performance limits.
Tip for Students:
• Lesson 1: Focus on definitions, roles, and components.
• Lesson 2: Study historical phases and OS evolution.
• Lesson 3: Review OS structures, examples, and pros/cons.
