What are computer viruses - Essay Example

The operating system within any computer is the most important software because it is the software that provides the computer with the interface to inter act with the outside world. Specifically speaking what it does is that it connects the computer with the hardware, the mouse, the keyboard, speakers, monitor and other such hardware devices are connected and recognized by the computer only because they have been connected to the operating system. The operating system uses ‘drivers’ to interact with these hardware devices, that is why when you install a new hardware device the computer asks for the drivers CD.

The operating system basically creates an environment in which the application programs can function. Operating system deals with the program execution i.e. loading the program to memory, executing the program and ending or terminating the program. It helps with the identification of errors such as traffic errors or shortage or memory. Operating systems are involved in allocation of resources within the different computer programs according to their need levels and subject to availability of memory and other resources.

Input and output functions regarding different files and devices are also performed by the operating system. Some other functions that the operating system performs are file management, the renaming of files and storage are looked at in this section; security is another core aspect of operating systems, its provides protection to programs and different data; accounting is another aspect that is handled by the operating system, in this basically it maintains a record of the resources that have been used by different programs.

ReferenceBhatt, P. An Introduction to Operating Systems: Concepts and Practice. 2003. Print.