I completed this paper while finishing up my degree at Southwest Virginia Community College. I found it significant because it was my first time researching the history of operating systems, which helped me discover many similarities and differences. This research gave me a newfound respect for operating systems, which ensures everything works together reliably and securely. It helped me better understand the many variables included in these systems, allowing me to isolate issues for troubleshooting. This understanding was a stepping stone for learning to analyze issues in my role as a Helpdesk Technician. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Operating Systems
Ethan Lawson
Department of Information Technology Networking
Southwest Virginia Community College
ITN 106: Microcomputer Operating System
Professor Charles C. Bundy IV
February 25, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first version of the Linux operating system was released in 1991. This operating system was
created by Linus Torvalds while he was a student in college. Linux is an open-source operating
system. Open-source means that the source code is available to the public and can be
redistributed, modified, studied, and run by anyone. Linux does offer support, but updates are
rare when compared to operating systems such as Windows. There are many different versions
of Linux available. Some of the versions available are Ubuntu, Peppermint OS, Scientific Linux,
NixOS, Mandriva Linux, Ubuntu MATE, KaOS, Kanotix, Softlanding Linux System, TurnKey
Linux, Grml, LLiureX, Caldera OpenLinux, Parsix, LiMux, BackBox, Ubuntu Kylin, Fedora
Linux, Mageia, Garuda Linux, Kubuntu, Bodhi Linux, Billix, 4MLinux, ZipSlack, CrunchBang
Linux, Foresight Linux, KateOs, Emdebian Grip, Molinux, GendBuntu, Slackintosh, Arch
Linux, BlackArch, EndeavourOS, Parrot OS, Deepin, VyOS, HandyLinux, Alpine Linux, Void
Linux, The Linux Schools Project, Russian Fedora Remix, LEAF Project, Sabayon Linux,
SuperGamer, Pinguy OS, SolydXK, and many more. So many distributions exist partially
because it is open source, so anyone can edit the source code to suit their needs. This operating
system is still widely used today, with some distributions far more than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Windows 95 operating system\u2019s initial design and planning are traced back to March 1992.
The operating system Windows 95 was released on July 14, 1995. Several different editions of
this operating system were released, including the standard and Windows 95 Plus. The
manufacturer of this operating system was Microsoft. The support for Windows 95 ended on
December 31, 2001. This ending of support, commonly called end of life, for operating systems
makes them obsolete since updates and patches are no longer applied to them, which increases
vulnerabilities with time. Since Windows 95 lost support long ago, it is rarely used today.
Windows 95 was a monumental milestone for personal computers when it came out, andit
introduced many key graphical user interface features that are still used in updated versions of
Windows today. Some notable features that Windows 95 introduced to the Microsoft operating
system world are the start menu, taskbar, and plug-and-play functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Android operating system was unveiled in November 2007. However, it was not released
until a year later, in September 2008. The Android operating system was developed by Google.
This operating system is used in over a billion touchscreen devices. There have been many
versions of Android released throughout the years, starting with Android 1.0, and the most current
is Android 14.0. Today, this operating system is still widely used, mostly on mobile devices.
Older releases of this operating system are not supported. Google\u2019s priority has been focused on
keeping the newer versions of this operating system safe for users by supporting them. Currently,
the 11 \u2018Red Velvet Cake\u2019, 12 \u2018Snow Cone\u2019, 13 \u2018Tiramisu, and 14 \u2018Upside Down Cake\u2019 are the
versions that are still supported. Android is also an open-source operating system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MS-DOS stands for Microsoft Disk Operating System. This operating system was primarily used
until the release of Windows 95. It was released in 1981 and was designed for use on compatible
personal computers. This operating system was manufactured by Microsoft and possessed many
similarities to the previously designed Personal Computer Disk Operating System. Today, the
Microsoft Disk Operating System still has a few practical applications. However, Microsoft
stopped supporting it in 2006. The Microsoft Disk Operating System did not have a graphical
user interface. Instead, users controlled this operating system through a command-line interface.
This made the Microsoft Disk Operating System extremely lightweight. Also, it gave direct
access to the personal computer\u2019s hardware, memory, and files on the connected storage device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Operating systems, no matter what their application, are constantly evolving due to consumer
demands and the competitive nature of this market. This market has been dominated by a sparse
number of global companies since nearly the beginning of personal computers. Of the operating
systems covered, Android and Linux are the only ones that are still supported. Microsoft Disk
Operating Systems and Windows 95 are solely used for personal computers, while Linux and
Android can be used for mobile. Linux is mainly used on personal computers, but there are many
versions available, some of which are used on mobile devices. Emulators can be installed on
computers to replicate the Android operating system on another operating system, such as
Windows or Linux. The hardware requirements for the Android operating system are ARMv7\/8-
a, with x86 and x86-64 architectures, 1-2 GB, and 16GB of storage. The requirements for Linux
operating systems are 4-20 GB, a single CPU core, and 1 GB of RAM. The minimum system
requirements for the Windows 95 operating system are 4 MB of RAM, a 386DX processor, and
50-55 MB of free hard disk space. I could not find the minimum system requirements for
Microsoft Disk Operating System. However, the official requirements for IBM PC DOS 2000
are 512k of RAM, 6 MB of hard disk space, and a 286-386 CPU, which should be close. An
advantage of Windows 95 and Microsoft Disk operating systems is the low hardware
requirements necessary. I would consider open-source operating systems such as Android and
Linux is an advantage since anyone can make alterations to the source code, community
support and collaboration, and the cost. Some disadvantages of open-source operating systems
include a lack of official support, potential security risks, and compatibility issues because of
operating systems’ diversity. One disadvantage of using Linux is the steep learning curve that
many face since we live in a world mostly dominated by the Windows operating system.
However, for this field, it is crucial to become familiar with all operating systems that are
commonly used. Linux is used in careers such as networking, systems engineering, security, and
many others. Another advantage of using Linux is that it places more emphasis on securing the
privacy of its users. Windows, however, collects data on its users to improve, develop, and
provide a personalized experience. Linux uses a monolithic kernel, which takes up more space
than Windows micro-kernel but provides higher system running efficiency. Another difference
between Windows and Linux is the latter is case-sensitive when it comes to commands. Files in
Linux are stored in a tree-like structure with the root at the top. On Windows, files are stored in
directories and folders on different data drives. Windows seems to have better performance for
gaming, while it can be a hassle to play some games on Linux, with some not working or lacking
support.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
References
Android Open Source Project. (n.d.).
https:\/\/source.android.com\/#:~:text=Android%20is%20an%20open%20source,source%20project
%20led%20by%20Google.
MS DOS: What is DOS: How does MS-DOS work. MS Dos: What is Dos | How Does MS-DOS Work |
Lenovo US. (n.d.). https:\/\/www.lenovo.com\/us\/en\/glossary\/ms-
dos\/?orgRef=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F
What is linux?. Red Hat – We make open source technologies for the enterprise. (n.d.).
https:\/\/www.redhat.com\/en\/topics\/linux\/what-is-linux
Wiki, C. to M. (n.d.). Windows 95. Microsoft Wiki. https:\/\/microsoft.fandom.com\/wiki\/Windows_95<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I completed this paper while finishing up my degree at Southwest Virginia Community College. I found it significant because it was my first time researching the history of operating systems, which helped me discover many similarities and differences. This research gave me a newfound respect for operating systems, which ensures everything works together reliably and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30502,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/student.wp.odu.edu\/elaws006\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/264"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/student.wp.odu.edu\/elaws006\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/student.wp.odu.edu\/elaws006\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/student.wp.odu.edu\/elaws006\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30502"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/student.wp.odu.edu\/elaws006\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=264"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/student.wp.odu.edu\/elaws006\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":273,"href":"https:\/\/student.wp.odu.edu\/elaws006\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/264\/revisions\/273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/student.wp.odu.edu\/elaws006\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}