What is Operating System ?
An Operating System is a system software that makes sure that users can manage activities of both hardware and software as well as utilize resources of a computer. It allows the interaction between the user and the software those are installed.Â
What are the examples of Operating System ?
Other than that it does many other works of managing hardware devices, interacting with the user and application software. Examples for operating systems are Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10, MacOS, Linux, Android and IOS.Â
What are the types of Operating System ?
Based on the purpose of development, there are 5 different types of operating systems. Those are the network operating system, real-time operating system, batch operating system, distributed operating system and time-sharing operating system. An operating system is vital component for any computer. Without it the computer cannot simply function. Whether it can be a PC or a smartphone, operating system is a must for their functioning.Â
With all the benefits, operating systems include certain drawbacks as well. For knowing how effective operating systems will be, the following advantages and disadvantages needs to be considered.
In this article, I will be listing out the 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Operating System | Limitations & Benefits of Operating System. Through this post, you will know the pros and cons of using operating system.
Let's get started,
Advantages of Operating System
1. User Friendly
The interface provided by the GUI is much more user friendly compared to a command line interface. It comes with various symbols, buttons, menus and other graphical representations all which makes them easily understandable. As a result, users can interact and communicate with the machine easily.
2. Security
It is a responsibility of an operating system to make sure each data present inside them is secure. They do this by encrypting data bit to bit. And most of the operating systems comes with a security program pre-installed. For an example, Windows contains its own security feature known as Windows Defender that actively removes malwares and other malicious files. For this purpose, users can use their own anti-malware software too.
3. Sharing Resources
Operating system also provides the opportunity to share resources with other users. Such resources include, printers, fax machines, modems and players. Apart from that, operating system allows the transmission of various files such as videos, images and apps with the connected devices. And also, if the data needs to be sent between multiple users, the users can use the email service.
4. Hardware Accessibility
Graphical user interface allows users to access hardware functionality instantly in operating system. Unlike in command line interface, users don't need to write lines of codes for accessing hardware.
5. Multitasking
Multitasking is another important feature of an operating system. Using operating system, users can perform different tasks simultaneously. There is no need to close one window to open another.
Disadvantages of Operating System
1. Cost
Unless it is an open source operating system, generally all other platforms are considered to be expensive. Even though, users can choose the option of free operating system, it is not always the best since it does not posses all the features. If the operating system includes GUI functionality, it increases the cost even more.
2. Reliability
An operating system is a vital software for any computer. Without an operating system, the computer cannot work. Therefore, any kind of failures in the operating system will result in affecting the entire computer. This in essence means that the processor will stop processing the data and other hardware components will not be working anymore.
3. Complexity
The language that is used behind an operating system makes it more complex. This language cannot be understood by an average user. Hence, problems in the O/S cannot be resolved by just looking at its language.
4. Fragmentation
Fragmentation is a process where storage memory is broken into fragments. Operating systems are also prone to internal fragmentations. If the process needs more space than it was allocated, it will cause insufficient storage space. As a result, the process will be using much less space than it requires causing internal fragmentation.
5. Virus Attacks
The risk of viruses is always higher in an operating system. Sometimes users can unknowingly download malicious programs, visit malicious websites or open virus containing email attachments all which can make a computer vulnerable to viruses.
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