Operating System - Operating System Structures- Lecture 2

Operating System Structures

An operating system provides the environment within which programs are
executed. Internally, operating systems vary greatly in their makeup, since
they are organized along many different lines. The design of a new operating
system is a major task. It is important that the goals of the system be well
defined before the design begins. These goals form the basis for choices among
various algorithms and strategies.

We can view an operating system from several vantage points. One view
focuses on the services that the system provides; another, on the interface that
it makes available to users and programmers; a third, on its components and
their interconnections. In this chapter, we explore all three aspects of operating
systems, showing the viewpoints of users, programmers, and operating-system
designers. We consider what services an operating system provides, how they
are provided, and what the various methodologies are for designing such
systems. Finally, we describe how operating systems are created and how a
computer starts its operating system.

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
• To describe the services an operating system provides to users, processes,
and other systems.
• To discuss the various ways of structuring an operating system.
• To explain how operating systems are installed and customized and how
they boot.