LECTURE THREE

TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

OS can be categorized in different ways based on various perspectives. Some of the

major ways in which the OS can be classified are explored and introduced in this topic.

Types of Operating Systems Based on the Types of Computer they Control and the
Sort of Applications they Support

Based on the types of computers they control and the sort of applications they support,
there are generally four types within the broad family of operating systems. The broad
categories are as follows:

1. Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS):

They are used to control machinery, scientific instruments and industrial systems. An
RTOS typically has very little user-interface capability, and no end-user utilities, since
the system will be a sealed box when delivered for use. A very important part of an
RTOS is managing the resources of the computer so that a particular operation executes
in precisely the same amount of time every time it occurs. In a complex machine, having
a part move more quickly just because system resources are available may be just as
catastrophic as having it not move at all because the system is busy. RTOS can be hard
or soft. A hard RTOS guarantees that critical tasks are performed on time. However, soft
RTOS is less restrictive. Here, a critical real-time task gets priority over other tasks and
retains that priority until it completes.

2. Single-User, Single-Tasking Operating System:

As the name implies, this operating system is designed to manage the computer so that
one user can effectively do one thing at a time. The Palm OS for Palm handheld
computers is a good example of a modern single-user, single-task operating system.

3. Single-User, Multi-Tasking Operating System:

This is the type of operating system most people use on their desktop and laptop
computers today. Windows 98 and the Mac O.S. are both examples of an operating
system that will let a single user have several programs in operation at the same time. For
example, it is entirely possible for you as a Windows user to be writing a note in a word
processor while downloading a file from the Internet and at the same time be printing
the text of an e-mail message.

4. Multi-User Operating Systems:

A multi-user operating system allows many different users to take advantage of the
computer's resources simultaneously. The operating system must make sure that the
requirements of the various users are balanced, and that each of the programs they are
using has sufficient and separate resources so that a problem with one user does not
affect the entire community of users. Unix, VMS, and mainframe operating systems,
such as MVS, are examples of multi-user operating systems. It's important to
differentiate here between multi-user operating systems and single-user operating
systems that support networking.

Windows 2000 and Novell Netware can each support hundreds or thousands of
networked users, but the operating systems themselves are not true multi-user
operating systems. The system administrator is the only user for Windows 2000 or
Netware. The network support and the entire remote user logins the network enables
are, in the overall plan of the operating system, a program being run by the
administrative user.

Types of OS based on the Nature of Interaction that takes place between the
Computer User and His/Her Program during its Processing

Modern computer operating systems may be classified into three groups, which are
distinguished by the nature of interaction that takes place between the computer user
and his or her program during its processing. The three groups are: called batch, time-
shared and real time operating systems.

1. Batch Processing OS

In a batch processing operating system environment, users submit jobs to a central

place where these jobs are collected into a batch, and subsequently placed on an input
queue at the computer where they will be run. In this case, the user has no interaction
with the job during its processing, and the computer’s response time is the turnaround
time (i.e. the time from submission of the job until execution is complete, and the results
are ready for return to the person who submitted the job).
2. Time Sharing OS

Another mode for delivering computing services is provided by time sharing operating
systems. In this environment a computer provides computing services to several or
many users concurrently on-line. Here, the various users are sharing the central
processor, the memory, and other resources of the computer system in a manner
facilitated, controlled, and monitored by the operating system. The user, in this
environment, has nearly full interaction with the program during its execution, and the
computer’s response time may be expected to be no more than a few second.

3. Real Time OS

The third class of operating systems, real time operating systems, are designed to
service those applications where response time is of the essence in order to
prevent error, misrepresentation or even disaster. Examples of real time operating
systems are those which handle airlines reservations, machine tool control, and
monitoring of a nuclear power station. The systems, in this case, are designed to be
interrupted by external signal that require the immediate attention of the computer
system.

In fact, many computer operating systems are hybrids, providing for more than one of
these types of computing service simultaneously. It is especially common to have a
background batch system running in conjunction with one of the other two on the
same computer.
Other Types of OS based on the Definition of the System/Environment

A number of other definitions are important to gaining a better understanding and

subsequently classifying operating systems:

1. Multiprogramming Operating System

A multiprogramming operating system is a system that allows more than one active
user program (or part of user program) to be stored in main memory simultaneously.

Thus, it is evident that a time-sharing system is a multiprogramming system, but note

that a multiprogramming system is not necessarily a time-sharing system. A batch
or real time operating system could, and indeed usually does, have more than one
active user program simultaneously in main storage. Another important, and all too
similar, term is ‘multiprocessing’.

A multiprocessing system is a computer hardware configuration that includes more

than one independent processing unit. The term multiprocessing is generally used to
refer to large computer hardware complexes found in major scientific or
commercial applications.

2. Network Operating Systems

A networked computing system is a collection of physical interconnected computers.
The operating system of each of the interconnected computers must contain, in
addition to its own stand-alone functionality, provisions for handling communication
and transfer of programs and data among the other computers with which it is
connected.

In a network operating system, the users are aware of the existence of multiple
computers, and can log in to remote machines and copy files from one machine
to another. Each machine runs its own local operating system and has its own user
(or users). Network operating systems are designed with more complex functional
capabilities.

Network operating systems are not fundamentally different from single processor
operating systems. They obviously need a network interface controller and some low-
level software to drive it, as well as programs to achieve remote login and remote files
access, but these additions do not change the essential structure of the operating
systems.

3. Distributed Operating Systems

A distributed computing system consists of a number of computers that are

connected and managed so that they automatically share the job processing load
among the constituent computers, or separate the job load as appropriate particularly
configured processors. Such a system requires an operating system which, in addition
to the typical stand-alone functionality, provides coordination of the operations and
information flow among the component computers.

The distributed computing environment and its operating systems, like networking
environment, are designed with more complex functional capabilities. However, a
distributed operating system, in contrast to a network operating system, is one
that appears to its users as a traditional uniprocessor system, even though it is
actually composed of multiple processors. In a true distributed system, users should
not be aware of where their programs are being run or where their files are located;
that should all be handled automatically and efficiently by the operating system.

True distributed operating systems require more than just adding a little code to
a uniprocessor operating system, because distributed and centralized systems differ
in critical ways. Distributed systems, for example, often allow program to run on
several processors at the same time, thus requiring more complex processor
scheduling algorithms in order to optimize the amount of parallelism achieved.