Operating+Systems

An **operating system** (**OS**) is the software that manages the sharing of the [|resources] of a [|computer]. An operating system processes raw system data and user input, and responds by allocating and managing tasks and internal system resources as a service to users and programs of the system. At the foundation of all system software, an operating system performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating [|memory], prioritizing system requests, controlling input and output devices, facilitating [|networking] and managing [|file systems]. Most operating systems come with an application that provides a [|user interface] for managing the operating system, such as a [|command line interpreter] or [|graphical user interface]. The operating system forms a [|platform] for other [|system software] and for [|application software]. [|Windows], [|Mac OS X], and [|Linux] are three of the most popular operating systems for personal computers.