Operating Systems
Within this section i'm going to talk about the different types of operating systems. I will be looking at both PC and mobile operating systems.
PC/ Macintosh:
An operating system is considered the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages the computers memory, processes, hardware, and software. It essentially allows the user to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computers language, and so without it, the computer is useless. simply put, it act as a translator, translating our actions into something the computer can understand. Short for OS, the operating system is there to coordinate all the aspects which allow a program to work, such as the CPU, storage,and memory.
OS are usually preloaded on any computer when they are first bought, and it depends what computer is bought as to which OS it has on it, as there are three main OS.
An operating system is considered the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages the computers memory, processes, hardware, and software. It essentially allows the user to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computers language, and so without it, the computer is useless. simply put, it act as a translator, translating our actions into something the computer can understand. Short for OS, the operating system is there to coordinate all the aspects which allow a program to work, such as the CPU, storage,and memory.
OS are usually preloaded on any computer when they are first bought, and it depends what computer is bought as to which OS it has on it, as there are three main OS.
Windows
One of the most well known operating systems, Windows comes with nearly every computer or laptop available, because its operating system is owned by one of the biggest computer companies around. The current OS for Windows is Windows 8, released in 2012. While each operating system has many differences within the technical side, the main difference in which people usually consider is the interface,and what can be done with it. Because windows is so mainstream, and because the design has stayed relatively the same throughout the versions, it has become favored by many people, as it is what people have come to expect. |
Mac OS
Probably considered the biggest competitor to Windows, Mac OS comes installed within all Macintosh computers, as both are owned by Apple. This interface offers a very different look, as can be compared by the images shown, but people often find themselves preferring the sleek style to Macs rather than Windows. Despite this however, from a research conducted in 2014, there is only an accounted 9.5% of Mac users, and almost 90% of Windows. This is most likely due to the fact that Macs are very expensive, and tend to be used for proper industry use, as apposed to windows which is a lot more leisure friendly. |
Linux
The least popular of the PC OS, this is an open source operating system. What this means is that it is purposefully designed to be modified by the user as it is not propriety software. The advantage to Linux over any other is the fact that it is free, and because it is customisable, there are dozens of different versions that a user can choose from. The reason it is so unpopular however, is because you often have to know what you are doing in order to make it work, needing a lot of computer expertise. This is unlike the other OS, which are more user friendly to beginners, along with their easy to understand interfaces. |
Because the different OS offer different technical aspects, it means that sometime games will not run on a certain one. This is important to consider when looking to create a a gaming PC or laptop. I believe that the best OS to go for if it is for gaming alone would be PC, as this is the most common, therefore most games should be tailored to its specifics.
HandHeld:
Within the handheld platform, there are two main OS to choose from. Windows CE and PalmOS Windows CE Also known as Windows Embedded CE, this is an OS subfamily developed once again by Microsoft. The current version of Windows Embedded Compact supports Intel x86 and is optimized for having minimal memory. This makes it perfect for small hand held computers. The real time system makes it more efficient, although it is not suitable for larger devices. With Windows CE, voice recognition can be used, and as such, it makes it incredibly handy. PalmOS This computer OS is used on handheld devices like PDA's. due to its design, only one app can be run at any given time, but on the plus side it is touchscreen capable because of its interface. The color scree was mainly monochrome, and although new additions and third party improvements have been made, it still remains less popular or used when compared to Windows CE. This OS is a Linux based platform. |
Mobile:
There are three main competitors when looking at mobile OS, theses are Symbian OS, BREW, and Mophun. Like computers, these OS do have many differnt specs when running, but the main thing to consider for most people is the varying appearences and interface.
There are three main competitors when looking at mobile OS, theses are Symbian OS, BREW, and Mophun. Like computers, these OS do have many differnt specs when running, but the main thing to consider for most people is the varying appearences and interface.
Symbian OS
This Os was developed by Symbian Ltd. hence the name, and is the primary interface for Nokia and Sony Ericsson's, It is also used however, by a number of Japanese mobile phone manufacturers for handsets sold only within japan. This OS is open source. |
BREW
This platform is able to run programs and download programs at the same time, this is because it is a binary run time environment for wireless. While this does not sound very impressive, it is in fact very useful, as it allows users to, for example, both text and send pictures at the same time. This makes many tasks a lot more efficient. This OS is used on the majority of mobile devices. |
Mophun
This Os is used to create games on mobile phones, as well as applications. The games are developed in the C and C++ programming languages, which i will go over in the application software page. Any application that has been created using Mophun must be certified, and as such it means there is no freeware Mophun apps available. |