

Now it is common for an OS to run on many different hardware configurations.Īt the heart of an OS is the kernel, which is the lowest level, or core, of the operating system. Before 1960, every computer model would normally have it's own OS custom programmed for the specific architecture of the machine's components. Install and launch applications such as word processors, games, etcĪ computer would be fairly useless without an OS, so today almost all computers come with an OS pre-installed. Install and upgrade device drivers for new hardware

The ability to sign in with a username and password

An operating system is a generic term for the multitasking software layer that lets you perform a wide array of 'lower level tasks' with your computer.
