An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs. All computer programs, with the exception of the firmware, require work.

OS time-sharing plan tasks for effective use systems and may also include accounting software for allocating CPU time, mass storage, printing, and other resources.

The dominant desktop (desktop) operating system is Microsoft Windows with a market share of around 83.3%. macOS by Apple Inc. ranks second (11.2%), while flavors of Linux are in third position (1.55%).

In the mobile (smartphones and tablets) sector, according to the third quarter of 2016, Google's Android dominates with 87.5%, and the growth rate is 10.3% per year, followed by Apple's iOS with 12.1% and a year-on-year market decline A share of 5.2 percent, while other operating systems account for only 0.3 percent.

Linux distributions are dominant in the server and supercomputing sectors. Other specialized classes of operating systems, such as embedded systems and real-time systems, exist for many applications.

Consider the OS usage statistics according to the data. Attention, in the statistics, the aggregate data of all Platforms:

• Desktop
• Mobile
• Tablet
• Console

TOP operating systems in Ukraine:

In Ukraine, the leading operating system in use is, of course, Windows - 73.33% of all devices, from desktop to pocket. And since mobile technologies take their own, Android - in Ukraine also took 13.19%. Production operating system Apple OS X takes the third place - 5.38%, and even if we add iOS - 4.46% - this will not allow it to overtake Android in popularity in Ukraine.

Belarus has the following OS statistics:

The first - Windows - 71.27%, the second - Android - 17.74% and the same situation with OS X - 4.2% and iOS - 3.55%.

OS rating in Kazakhstan:

Kazakhstan is more mobile. And although Windows is still the first - 63.85%, Android has 23.08%, that is, almost 1/4. The iOS rating is also higher here - 7.83%.

Popularity of operating systems in Russia:

First Windows place- 68.58%. Second and third place Android - 15.88% and iOS - 7.11%

Statistics of operating systems in the world:

Given the combined statistics of desktop and mobile platforms, as of July 2017, Android OS is in the lead - 41.24% of all devices. The second and third, respectively, Windows - 35.24% and iOS - 13.2%.

A bit of history

In the 1940s, the earliest electronic digital systems did not have operating systems. Electronic systems this time were programmed on the rows of mechanical switches or via jumpers on the boards. These are special-purpose systems that, for example, generated ballistic tables for the military or controlled the printing of payroll checks from data on punched cards. Since the invention of programmable computers general purpose, machine languages ​​(consisting of strings of binary digits 0 and 1 on punched paper tape) were introduced, which speeded up the programming process.

In the early 1950s, a computer could only execute one program at a time. Each user used the computer exclusively for a limited period of time and received scheduled time with the program and data on punched cards or punched tape. The program will be downloaded to the machine and the machine will run until the program ends. Programs can usually be debugged from the front panel using toggle switches and panel lamps.

Later machines were shipped with program libraries that would be linked to the user program to assist with operations such as input and output, and the generation of computer code from human-readable character code. This was the genesis of the modern operating system. However, the machines still performed one task at a time. At the University of Cambridge in England, the work order was once a washing line (clothes line) from which ribbons were hung with different colored pins to indicate work priorities.

An improvement was the Atlas Supervisor, introduced with the Manchester Atlas, commissioned in 1962, "considered by many as the first recognizable modern operating system"

macos

MacOS (formerly "Mac OS X" and later "OS X") is a line of open-kernel graphical operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., the latter of which is pre-loaded on all Macintosh computers currently shipped. MacOS has been Apple's main operating system since 1984. It is a UNIX operating system built on technology developed at NeXT in the second half of the 1980s and up until Apple bought the company in early 1997. The operating system was first released in 1999 as Mac OS X Server 1.0 and in March 2001 as a client version (Mac OS X v10.0 "Cheetah"). Since then, there have been six different "client" and "server" editions of macOS until they were merged into OS X 10.7 "Lion".

Prior to its merger with macOS, the server version - macOS Server - was architecturally identical to its desktop counterpart and typically ran on a line hardware Macintosh by Apple. The macOS server included workgroup management and administration tools that provide simplified access to key network services, including a mail transfer agent, a Samba server, an LDAP server, a domain name server, and others. With Mac OS X v10.7 Lion, all server aspects of Mac OS X Server were integrated into the client version, and the product was renamed "OS X" (dropping the "Mac" from the name). Server tools are now offered as an application.

linux

ubuntu, a desktop Linux distribution. The Linux kernel appeared in 1991 as a project of Linus Torvalds, then a university student in Finland. He posted about his project in a newsgroup for computer students and programmers and received support and help from volunteers who managed to create a complete and functional kernel.

Linux is Unix-like, but was developed without any Unix code, unlike BSD and its variants. Because of its open license model, the Linux kernel code is available for study and modification, which has led to its use on a wide range of computer science from supercomputers to smart watches. Although estimates suggest that Linux is used on only 1.82% of all "desktop" (or laptop) PCs, it is widely used for use in servers and embedded systems such as Cell Phones. Linux has replaced Unix on many platforms and is used on most supercomputers, including the top 385. Many of the same computers are also on the Green500 (but in a different order), with Linux running on top 10. Linux is also widely used on other small energy efficient computers such as smartphones. The Linux kernel is used in some popular distributions such as Red Hat, Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint and Android by Google, Chrome OS and Chromium OS.

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft and designed primarily for computers based on Intel architecture with a total total usage of 88.9% on computers connected to the Internet.

Microsoft Windows was first released in 1985 as an operating environment running on top of MS-DOS, which was the standard operating system shipped with most Intel personal computers at the time. In 1995, Windows 95 was released, which used only MS-DOS as its initial boot. For backwards compatibility, Win9x can run real-time MS-DOS and 16-bit windows drivers 3.x. Windows ME, released in 2000, was the last version of the Win9x family. Later versions were based on Windows kernel NT. Current client versions of Windows run on IA-32, x86-64, and 32-bit ARM microprocessors. In addition, Itanium is still supported in old version servers Windows Server 2008R2. In the past, Windows NT has supported additional architectures.

Server editions of Windows are widely used. In recent years, Microsoft has spent significant capital to promote Windows usage as a server operating system. However, the use of Windows on servers is not as widespread as it is on personal computers, as Windows competes with Linux and BSD for server market share.

React OS is an alternative Windows operating system that is developed on the principles of Windows - without using any Microsoft code.

Other

There were many operating systems that were significant in their day but are no longer there, such as AmigaOS; OS/2 from IBM and Microsoft; Classic Mac OS, Apple's non-Unix predecessor to MacOS; BeOS; XTS-300; RISCOS; MorphOS; Haiku; Bare Metal and Free Mint. Some of them are still used in niche markets and continue to develop as minority platforms for enthusiast communities and specialized applications. OpenVMS, formerly from DEC, is still being actively developed by Hewlett-Packard. However, other operating systems are used almost exclusively in academia, for instruction in operating systems, or for research into operating system concepts. A typical example of a system that fulfills both roles is MINIX, while, for example, Singularity is used exclusively for research.

Other operating systems have failed to gain significant market share, but have introduced innovations that have influenced major operating systems.

These groups are already for a long time are waging an almost equal fight for the monopolization of the market, and this fight is expected for a long time - it is difficult to single out a favorite in it. Let's try to figure out which product is the best quality.

Windows

On this moment there are three current versions The OS of this corporation is 7, 8, 10. Windows XP has already gone out of fashion - now it is installed mainly on old computers. The newest version is Windows 10, but not the most popular version from the company. Windows 7 is firmly in the ranking of the most used systems: 52% of personal computers in the world are served by it.

Windows operating systems are optimized, their work is stable on most computers, with older versions of XP and 7 being the most preferred. The Windows product is not the most secure, so if you use the Windows OS, you need to take care of installing licensed security software.

Many users compare operating systems by interface. Windows does not lose to its competitors - a large selection of data visualization themes, window animations and translucency create a pleasant contrast. Newer versions of Windows have retained elements of the very first systems from this manufacturer, which beckons the user.

One of key benefits- the ability to install programs to perform a wide variety of tasks. It concerns office programs And gaming applications, as well as other applied areas.

linux

Here, manufacturers have decided to release many versions that have a special purpose. The most widely accepted Linux product is Ubuntu. It has become popular with Linux, as it is the most optimal for home use.

The Linux product is unique in that you can change everything in the system settings in such a way that the system will be completely rebuilt taking into account the parameters of the PC. This fact provides the highest performance, and in this component, Linux is the undisputed leader among OS manufacturers. Linux also has the advantage of being highly reliable and secure, as distributions provide many mechanisms to restrict access to user information.

Concerning appearance, it can be customized in any way. Linux has a lot of options for choosing an interface - from simple and strict to complex and colorful, with big amount effects. One of the most important details for Linux is that in order to effectively manage it, the user must learn to work on the command line.

Many professional programming applications are written on the Linux kernel. But as for the choice of applications for performing applied tasks, everything here is not as rich as that of competitors.

macOS

macOS desktop

The "OS" itself occurred along with the appearance of the first products from Apple, respectively, is used on these devices. Now most latest edition MacOS is version 10.

MacOS are oriented to a certain hardware standard, so their performance is the highest among all available operating systems. It is worth noting that the high performance of systems for MacOS is hallmark– all products of this manufacturer are characterized by very stable and productive work. MacOS systems are very reliable, the cumulative number of viruses for this platform is not very high, and you should not worry about installing additional security software.

Most users are sure that MacOS is the most convenient and attractive operating system, judging by the user interface. The manufacturer pays a lot of attention to this component, and it is not surprising that they are superior in this component over their competitors. Developers use a huge set of technologies that are aimed at harmonizing and improving the appearance of controls. Interestingly, the company regularly requires developers of third-party software to use the most similar to the standard "Mac" style of application design, so that users work in the new program in the same way as in the familiar one before.

DOS

FreeDOS desktop

There are few users left who remember these operating system developers. It must be remembered that they became innovators in the field of OS development, inventing the whole operation of the operating system. Yes, competitors have gone further, having improved all the developments of DOS, but the developers of the first OS have now begun to come up with innovations for previous developments. Since the beginning of the 2000s, DOS has released a couple of OS emulators for PCs, but they were not recognized by users due to low performance and the lack of most of the necessary features for modern OSes.

However, DOS remains necessary for many users. DOS software is the best option for those users who wish to use old computers with new applications. To do this, the developers launched FreeDOS and DJGPP, which included several programs that are popular today - a file manager, a text editor, a web browser, mail client and so on. In other words, DOS products are still usable on older PCs.

Safety and reliability

In general, competition for the title the best group The operating systems are Windows, Linux and MacOS - DOS has already ceased to compete with more modern developments. In the field of reliability and safety of work, the most optimal products are Linux and Apple. The best distribution in this component for Linux is Ubuntu. Experts believe that systems with a Linux kernel are preferably used as a custodian especially important information, since protection against unauthorized intrusions to the information stored in the system is very strong. By the way, users themselves need to be very careful when assigning passwords and long paths to their necessary files- Otherwise, you can lose them.

Unlike Linux and MacOS distributions, Windows clearly loses in reliability and security. The Windows product still remains with the title of the most unreliable operating system. Third-party security software comes out regularly, but system protection is at its lowest level, and if you value the security of your information, Windows should not be chosen as the OS for your PC. As for MacOS, the security here is also at the highest level.

The most gaming system

As mentioned above, in terms of the number of programs in different areas, Windows is the leader, and in the gaming component, this developer is the undisputed leader. Quite a lot of gaming applications are also released for Linux, since these "OSes" are also quite popular in the world, for example, here you can find everyone's favorite Steam. But in the end, in the total volume of gaming applications, Windows will give odds to both Linux and MacOS combined. The system itself has enough good performance for uninterrupted and error-free operation of gaming applications on any computer, but, however, this rarely happens.

If you look at Windows distributions, while users are very cautious about calling Windows 7 the most preferred for games, despite the fact that three new versions of the system have already been released! Of course, the "seven" is a proven system, and therefore it is given more preference by users. But this is not for long - in a year and a half the whole world will start talking about the fact that the eighth and tenth versions of Windows are much better than the seventh in terms of gaming.

The simplest OS

If we take into account all the operating systems available in the world and choose the simplest of them, DOS systems will be the absolute champion here. But if we talk specifically about the three giants of the OS release at the present time, then again, Windows will be ahead of everyone in simplicity. Simplicity can be different - the banality of development, ease of use, etc. We are more interested in what systems it is more convenient for users to work with. And most of them believe that Windows is the simplest "OS", and starting from its very first versions.

Indeed, Windows is the most simple system in use, but very difficult to develop. MacOS ranks second in terms of usability, as noted by experts. Linux, on the other hand, are the most complex systems, but once you get used to it, you will never go back, for example, to the Windows family.

For weak PCs

Of course, here it is worth giving preference to DOS! However, DOS is quite difficult to find now, therefore, Linux distributions with a lightweight desktop environment (LXDE, OpenBox, MATE, Xfce) are most suitable for weak PCs.

The most optimal distribution for use in weak PCs from the Microsoft family will be Windows XP. In fact, this OS is quite good in that it has good performance and an attractive interface. It is simple enough and quite suitable so that even on a weak PC you can play your favorite classic games.

The downside is that XP is no longer supported by the manufacturer, and installing this system, you run the risk of picking up a lot of viruses and trojans.

This means that if you actively use the Internet, without additional security software, your PC will not be able to work for a long time. So, think carefully about choosing an "OS" before installing it on your weak PC.

Availability of software installation

And again, the undisputed leader here is Windows! Still, the products from this developer appeared on the market very first, and therefore it is sold instantly. Now only the lazy is not developing programs and applications for Windows, which means that the software will always be available for these operating systems. But it is important to remember: due to the low degree of protection of the Windows OS, you must be extremely careful when installing software on a computer. Of course, it is necessary to use licensed software, and if there is none, then you should know: you are taking a risk by installing junk programs to your PC, with a low level of protection.

Which system to choose in the end

Recently, system developers have done a great job of improving OS versions. Of course, the minimum market share and popularity will be occupied by MacOS, since it is a relatively new product. According to the characteristics, it is not inferior to Windows and Linux. If this product will be in great demand in the future, MacOS may soon become a sales leader.

Linux is a great system for office PCs and for computers that are used for programming and administration. They have high performance, are as safe and reliable as possible in use, but they are too narrow-profile, because these "OSes" are not widely used.

Windows is the undisputed winner in almost every respect among its competitors, and the popularity of the product is understandable. For modern computers, it is Windows that will be the optimal OS, everyone chooses the version on their own. It depends on the user which OS to install - if a computer is needed for work, it is better to install Linux, if for games - Windows. It is necessary to determine all the parameters that you want to receive to a greater extent from the OS - and in this case, you can make the right and informed choice!

According to Roskomstat, Windows has 84% ​​of popularity among Russian users personal computers. Linux is ahead of MacOS by 3% - 9% versus 6%. This will change if there are strong reasons for attractiveness among users, and system developers are constantly working in this area.

The computer market is dominated by one operating system, Microsoft's Windows. A much more modest percentage is occupied by Apple's macOS. And then there is Linux. But few people know that there are alternative operating systems in the world. Let them not be as popular as the main three, but they have left and are leaving their mark in the world of IT technologies.

Disk operating programs(DOS) were popular in the late 80s and 90s when they replaced bootloaders. The termination of support for MS-DOS by Microsoft was the main reason for the emergence of FreeDOS, which was originally called PD-DOS. Free FreeDOS can be attributed to single-tasking operating systems, the core of which is the DOS-C program. The DOS kernel operates in a single address space, which provides a fairly high speed of the system. In the beginning, FreeDOS was designed to be fully compatible with DOS-OS, allowing it to run freely with DOS-OS applications.

The system supports work with file system FAT32, but if you dig a little BIOS settings, you will be able to use up to four LBA drives up to 128 GB in size. The main disadvantage of FreeDOS is the inability to connect USB devices. If they are supported at the BIOS level, then FreeDOS does not have problems with USB keyboards and mice, and it will work with flash drives as with ordinary disks.

FreeDOS can be run on any virtual machine, where you should select as the type of OS, select the option Other - DOS. But you can also install it as a second operating system on your PC. To date, the system is still under active development and version 1.2 was released at the end of December 2016.

FreeBSD is a modern operating system for x86 computers running on the UNIX(R) version created at the University of California at Berkeley. The abbreviation BSD itself stands for Berkeley Software Distribution. The system has high performance, means of providing information security and compatibility with other operating systems, as well as an exceptional set of networking features. FreeBSD is distributed free of charge.

The system provides advanced network operating system capabilities for devices and embedded platforms, from Intel-based high-end devices to Arm, PowerPC, and soon MIPS hardware platforms. Ideal for building an Internet or Intranet server.

To support the FreeBSD project, The FreeBSD Foundation, a non-profit organization, was created, for which all donations and monetary assistance are tax-free.

The eComStation system is an updated version of IBM OS/2 Warp 4.5, which was developed and marketed by the American company Serenity Systems International and the Dutch company Mensys B.V. eComStation is not a free operating system and is quite expensive (more than $100), but if you want to try it out in a virtual machine, then a demo version of the OS is enough.

The central part of the system's graphical interface is the Workplace Shell, friendly and practically accessible to any user. Almost everything works right out of the box, from video cards and network cards and ending with audio, including integrated, and USB adapters. eComStation has advanced user interface, object-oriented desktop. Users can customize the appearance.

ReactOS is a free operating system that is a Microsoft Windows XP-compatible implementation of the OS. Developers strive to achieve full binary compatibility with applications and drivers designed for the NT and XP operating systems, using a similar architecture to achieve this goal and providing a complete and equivalent programming interface.

Of course, ReactOS is still very far from Windows 7/10. But it's a perfectly working model of a Windows-like operating system that provides developers with a wealth of information from the ReactOS source code and contributes to the development of ReactOS.

The system is still under development, which gives enthusiasts and developers the opportunity to join in its improvement. The creators of ReactOS call the main argument in favor of their OS - the resistance to Microsoft's monopoly.

Oracle Solaris

In 2010, Oracle bought Sun Microsystems, and with it the most innovative operating system for enterprises, SunOS. True, then the OS was renamed and now it is known to everyone as Oracle Solaris. There was a rather funny story with this system. Although SunOS is an operating system with closed source, but most of it has been open sourced and published by the OpenSolaris project. Development on the system was carried out until 2005, but then, for some reason, the developers decided to curtail work (they talk about disagreements in Sun Microsystems itself), and only after the purchase of all Oracle assets did the development continue.

According to John Fowler, Oracle's EVP of Systems, "Oracle Solaris 11 is the best UNIX operating system for running Oracle applications, deploying critical cloud infrastructures, and protecting user investments." The updated Oracle Solaris 11 has found widespread use in mission-critical systems for a variety of industries, including finance, telecommunications, healthcare, commerce, public sector, media and entertainment. The system includes OpenStack components to implement OpenStack functionality in enterprise environments and has unique upgrade and optimization capabilities for Oracle Databases.

Syllable Desktop

Existing between 1994 and 2001, the AtheOS operating system, perceived as a clone of AmigaOS, was developed by Norwegian programmer Kurt Skauen. But then Skaunen abandoned further development and posted the source code to the public.

This is how Syllable Desktop was born - a free operating system designed for use on home and office computers, as well as servers of the IA-32 architecture. Although the system is not based on UNIX, it provides almost complete compatibility with the POSIX standards.

The Syllable Desktop operating system even has a browser called ABrowse. True, this is not the browser that the modern user is used to. There is not even a file open button here - the file name will have to be entered all the time in the address bar, tab support is very weak and you cannot save pages, choose an encoding, and much more.

The latest build of this operating system was released in 2012, but if anyone is interested in trying it out, then even the oldest PC will be able to run it, not to mention a virtual machine.

Haiku

The Haiku operating system owes its birth to the programmer Michael Phips. The reason was the termination of work on BeOS, which Michael loved very much. The only logical step was to recreate BeOS completely from scratch, but make it with open source. So soon the new Haiku OS was introduced to the world.

Anyone who has ever downloaded and used Haiku has mentioned the interface first. Or rather, its almost complete absence. At one time there was even information about the prospects for migrating to the Linux kernel. But this initiative did not find support. Work on Haiku continues to this day, but, in my opinion, the system is very far behind Windows and MacOS, so it is of interest only to a certain circle of developers and enthusiasts.

SkyOS

SkyOS - it's 32 — a bit operating system developed by a group of enthusiasts led by Robert Sheleni. The operating system was conceived by the developers as fast and lightweight. The first versions were free and distributed under the GNU license, but then for some reason Sheleni decided to rewrite everything from scratch. The operating system had an advanced graphical interface and rich multimedia capabilities in 2003. Soon the project became commercial and the distribution of the source code was terminated, while the author announced the transition to the linux kernel for more flexible support a large number external devices.

Later, the project completely hung over the release of the beta version of SkyOS 5.0 in 2009. The most interesting thing happened in 2013, when suddenly the latest version of the system appeared in open access. Also posted serial number and username for legal activation of the product. But this project is no longer interesting to anyone.

There are many jokes and sarcasm about this "divine" operating system. About its creator, Terry A. Davis, they say nothing more than a schizophrenic. The system was created in 2003, allegedly "by God's blessing." TempleOS is not an operating system, but the "Temple of God" with a resolution of 640 × 480 pixels in 16 colors, comparable to Solomon's.

Although technically TempleOS is a multi-core multi-tasking operating system with no support for networking or any devices at all. There are no drivers at all. In order to interact with other programs and processes, a direct overwrite of the contents of the memory areas of these programs is needed. The funniest thing is the built-in games, of which there are many, but they differ in varying degrees of simplicity.

The OS uses the open FAT32 file system with additional self-written support for metafiles as an extension. All applications run in ring 0, with the highest priority, with no memory protection. Work on the system has been going on for 13 years.

Chrome OS

Google could not stay away from the development of operating systems for desktop PCs, laptops and netbooks. The company's developers decided to go a little different way. Taking the Linux kernel as a basis, they created an operating system whose hallmark is the dominance of web applications over traditional OS functions. In ChromeOS, the main role is given to the browser, which captivates with stability and high speed of work with the Internet.

The system works primarily on ARM processors or x86, so it turns on very quickly at startup. The main feature of the system is the fact that all information and all calculations are made on the company's servers and stored in the cloud. This avoids loading users' physical drives.

Now ChromeOS is most popular in the field of education: it is free, works on weak laptops, does not require special resources and knowledge to configure it.

Their list has increased greatly even over the past 5 years, especially due to the growth in the number mobile devices. What are their features, how do they differ, what are their advantages and disadvantages?

System classification

They differ from each other in various parameters, in particular, in the distribution of functions between computers. Classes of operating systems and networks themselves are:

• peer-to-peer;
• dual-rank (have dedicated servers).

There are computers that provide their resources to others. In this case, they act as a network server. The other one is their client. Computers can perform one or the other function, or combine them together. must meet the needs of the buyer.

List of the most demanded systems

What are the most popular operating systems among users? The list looks like this:

• Windows.
• macOS.
• Android.
• Ubuntu.
• Linux and others.

There are also less popular ones. For example, Fedora or Back Track. But they are common in a rather narrow environment of specialists.

How to choose?

Users have different criteria. This is primarily the ease of use and the capabilities of operating systems. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. For one, the functionality is important, for the second - the interface, for the third - the guarantee of the safety of personal data. Operating systems for PCs, which are longer than those designed for mobile devices, differ from the latter in their requirements for the machine.

They offer their users a different level of comfort and innovative solutions, the choice is largely determined by the profession of a person.

Windows Features

In recent years, new operating systems have appeared. The list of the most popular was supplemented by Android and IOS. However, it is the Windows operating system, as before, that remains the most popular in the world.

It is not only the most popular operating system, but also the most comfortable to use, great for beginners. Schoolchildren, office workers and people of all ages - almost all of them use Windows operating systems. Linux is traditionally used by specialized specialists.

pros

The key advantages of the popularly beloved Windows are the following factors:

• user-friendly interface;
• a large number of high-quality software that can be installed free of charge;
• ease of installation and configuration;
• ease of server administration.

Cons

Most versions of Windows are paid operating systems. The list can be found in open sources. The high cost of software is a key disadvantage of Windows.

Another disadvantage is the instability and vulnerability of the entire OS family to various kinds of malware.

latest version

How much does Windows 10 cost? It all depends on what will be the version - home or professional. In the first case, the cost will be about 6 thousand rubles, and in the second - about 10 thousand rubles.

The last modification, like the previous one, can have a classic interface or the same as the G8, when you can switch icons on the desktop.

Answering with a natural answer to the question of how much Windows 10 costs, with the fact that the cost is considerable, we must warn you: do not rush to worry. After all, the license that is granted to the user does not have a final expiration date. But such software as online games, antiviruses or Office requires regular updates on a paid basis.

By tradition, if you have a previous licensed version of Windows installed on your computer, you can upgrade to the latest version for free.

Previous Windows OS

Despite the release of new software, there are those who are comfortable using the previous ones. different versions operating systems have their advantages. Now, along with the "ten", many continue to use the "eights" and "sevens".

Windows 7 came out back in 2009. It included both developments from the previous Vista and completely new solutions that related to the interface and built-in programs. Some software was excluded - games, applications, a number of technologies and more.

"Seven" has several editions:

• initial;
• home basic;
• home extended;
• corporate;
• professional;
• maximum.

The next version of the operating system - Windows 8 was released in 2012. Its main innovation was the redesigned interface, which was more adapted to work on mobile devices. Today this product of the company is the most sold.

Legacy Versions

There are once popular, but now almost forgotten operating systems. You can start the list of them with Windows 95, it was from this version that many started working with a PC at one time. After it, the equally popular Windows 98 appeared. The next system, Windows 2000, came out at the turn of the millennium and was intended for use on devices with 32-bit processors.

However, Windows XP, which appeared in 2001, found real popularity. She only recently lost her championship to the seventh and eighth versions. For more than 10 years, it was XP that users preferred to install on their computers and laptops.

The next user version was Vista, but its functionality and features, according to experts, were extremely weak, which is why it did not gain popularity.

Other operating systems for computers

However, not everyone uses Windows. There are other operating systems for PCs. The list of them includes, in particular, MacOS, linux ubuntu and other modifications. They are mainly used by narrow-profile specialists.

Ubuntu was created on its interface is very similar to the Mac, but the overall style is similar to Windows. Users appreciated the ease of use, stability and the fact that the OS can be obtained for free. They also like the speed of the machine. But Ubuntu also has disadvantages - a small amount of software, games, as well as a complex administration scheme.

MacOS is an operating system developed by Apple for its computers. It is called a premium user product - it has a beautiful design, user-friendly interface and excellent multimedia capabilities. But not everyone can afford this solution, because both the computers themselves and the Apple brand OS, compared to others, are incredibly expensive.

Also for PC, some use Linux. This system is free, stable, equipped with a large amount of built-in software. However, despite all these advantages, it requires high user skills. Therefore, Linux is most often installed by programmers, networkers and other specialists.

Work on mobile devices

As you know, more and more users prefer to use the Internet not from laptops and PCs, but from mobile devices - smartphones and tablets. There are operating systems that are designed specifically for them. The most common are Android and IOS. But Symbian has already lost its former popularity, since its capabilities can no longer cover the needs of users.

In the first place in quantitative terms, by a wide margin, is "Android". After all, if IOS is an OS created specifically for Apple devices, then the second one can work on smartphones and tablets of other brands, for example:

• Samsung.
• Sony.
• Lenovo and others.

"Android" has a user-friendly interface for its users, allows them to use high-quality software in in large numbers on a free basis. It is suitable not only for smartphones and tablets, but also for modern " smart TVs". Devices based on this OS can be independently reflashed and make changes to their work.

But IOS, which is Apple's product, is considered more stable and much faster, provides customers with good multimedia capabilities. But compared to Android, it is more expensive, since there is very little free software in it. And what is provided for money is very expensive.

Approximately 10 years ago and earlier, those who used the Internet on mobile phones actively used the Symbian system, which was a joint development of the then leading manufacturers (Nokia, Motorola and others). It works even now, but, compared to IOS and Android, it is not able to cope with the tasks that the current owners of mobile devices set for themselves.

Other operating systems

In addition to common operating systems for computers and mobile devices, there are lesser known ones, many of which are based on Linux and require a high level of user skills. One such system is Fedora. It is highly stable, practically does not fall in terms of work. You can forever forget about freezes, sudden overloads and other problems.

There are also specific operating systems. For example, back track. This system is free and used by hackers all over the world. Most of the hacks were carried out thanks to Back Track. It was originally optimized to gain unauthorized access to download data from a particular computer.

People who are far from the computer sphere know little about the features of operating systems and their real number. On laptops or computers, they put "Windows", iPhones are equipped with their own software, and on other smartphones or tablets, "Android" is installed by default.

But there are other systems, they are basically not intended for a wide range due to their peculiarities. The choice of one OS or another depends primarily on the tasks that a person sets for himself.

Introduction

1. Operating system

1.2 Structure and functions of the OS

1.3 History of OS development

2. Alternatives to Windows

2.1.1 Development history

2.1.3 Use

2.2.1 History of creation

2.2.3 Use

2.3.1 Development history

2.3.3 Usage

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

In our time information Technology are increasingly becoming part of everyday life, and the computer has already become a familiar part of it. For most people who have had experience with a computer, the words “icon”, “window”, “desktop”, “Start menu” have become familiar and understandable, and the logo of a four-color waving flag is not surprising. I want to say that many personal computer users are so used to Windows that sometimes they don’t even know about the existence of other, alternative, operating systems, and even more so they don’t ask themselves the question: “What is an operating system and how does it work?” But knowing all this will not only be useful in modern society, but can also help in choosing the most convenient and productive “shell” for your computer. That is why I decided to make a brief overview of the operating systems that are used today instead of the Windows familiar to all of us.

In my work, I mainly used three literary sources. In E. Tanenbaum's textbook "Modern Operating Systems" I took information mainly on the history of the development of operating systems. The book "Operating systems, environments and shells", the authors of which are Partyka T.L. and Popov II, I used to define the concept of the operating system and the characteristics of the UNIX OS. And finally, the book by V.G. Olifer, N.A. Olifer. "Network Operating Systems" helped me to characterize the main functions of the operating system and its structure. Various Internet resources were also used, for example, the free Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia.

My abstract consists of two main chapters: operating systems, where I tried to explain what an operating system is, how it works and what it is for, and alternatives to Windows, where I directly consider operating systems that are used instead of Windows. It should be noted that in order not to load the text with repetitions and for simplicity of presentation, in my abstract I used the words "computer", "machine", "computer" as synonyms to refer to a computer in our current understanding. I considered it appropriate to make footnotes to sources only in the case of exact copying or taking special information, such as definitions or classifications. In all other cases, I only relied on information from literary or Internet sources, retelling it in my own words and drawing certain conclusions.

My abstract does not aim to find out which of the operating systems is better. The purpose of my work is not a comparison, but an overview of operating systems. This is what I was guided by when writing the abstract. When characterizing each operating system, I tried to pay attention to its main advantages and disadvantages, the areas of its use today and draw a conclusion about its competitiveness with Windows.

1.Operating system

1.1 What is an operating system?

First of all, it is worth understanding what an operating system (OS) is.

The operating system is a set of programs that provides the organization of the computing process on a computer. In simple terms, this is a program designed to hide from the user all the complexities of "communication" with the computer. And there are many more difficulties than it seems at first glance. Without the help of the OS, even such a simple operation as writing a file to HDD, which we are accustomed to doing by pressing a few keys on the keyboard, seems impossible for an uninitiated person. Need to register hard drive the address of the location where we want to save our file, the address in main memory, the number of bytes to save, the direction of action, in this case a write. And that's just to burn one file!

I think the whole importance of the invention of even the very first operating systems becomes clear, because they made it possible to save a person from communicating with the equipment directly, providing the programmer with a more convenient command system.

The OS serves as a link between the human and the computer, providing the user with a simple, file-oriented interface. The act of writing a file to disk then seems to be easier than having to take care of moving the hard disk heads, waiting for them to settle into place, and so on.

This is only a general idea of ​​the operating system. Next, I propose to consider the OS in more detail.

1.2 Structure and functions of the OS

Most modern operating systems are modular systems (i.e. divided into separate functional parts). Of course, there is no single OS architecture, but there are universal approaches to structuring operating systems. The most general approach is to divide all its modules into two groups:

kernel - modules that perform the main functions of the OS;

modules that perform auxiliary functions of the OS.

Kernel modules manage processes, memory, I/O devices, and so on. The functions performed by kernel modules are the most frequently used, so the speed of their execution determines the performance of the entire system as a whole. To ensure high speed of the OS, most of the kernel modules are constantly in random access memory, i.e. are resident

The remaining OS modules (auxiliary) perform useful, but not so essential functions, such as checking the health of computer blocks, detecting device failures, etc.

It is often very difficult to draw a line between the programs included in the OS and simple applications. It is believed that those programs that run in kernel mode (that is, the user does not have hardware access to them) are always part of the OS, while auxiliary programs run in user mode (that is, the user can change them if desired).

The core is the driving force of all computing processes, and the collapse of the kernel is tantamount to the collapse of the entire system, which is why developers pay special attention to the reliability of codes and protect them from free user intervention.

Well, now let's move on to the main functions that the OS as a whole performs. In general, they can be divided into the two most important ones, this is the connection between a person and a machine and the management of the resources of the machine itself. We have already discussed the importance of the first function above, but it is worth dwelling on the second in more detail.

Modern computers are made up of a processor, memory, clocks, disks, mice, network interfaces, printers, and a myriad of other devices. So, the function of the OS is the organized and controlled distribution of computer resources between various programs that compete for the right to use them. Indeed, imagine what would happen if three programs were running on the same computer and they all tried to print their data on the same printer at the same time. Most likely, the first few lines on the sheet would have come from the first program, the next few from the second, and so on. The result is complete confusion. OS puts things in order in such situations. The operating system allows access at first to only one program, and the output of another saves in temporary file and puts it in the print queue. At this time, the second program continues to run, not noticing that it is not actually sending data to the printer. It turns out that the OS, as it were, "deceives" the program. This was an example of a temporary allocation of resources. Equally important is the spatial distribution. It lies in the fact that the OS allocates to each program only a part of a specific resource, and not the entire resource. The most striking example, in my opinion, is the distribution of several programs in the computer's RAM. It's hard to even imagine how much time it would take to process commands if each program was given the entire amount of RAM, and everyone else was waiting for their turn!

The presence of all these functions once again proves the necessity and importance of operating systems. Without an OS, a computer for the user is just a pile of metal that cannot be approached.

Based on the main functions of the OS, certain requirements are guided by its development:

· Modularity;

・Possibility of development software system;

· Ease of learning;

· Flexibility and adaptability;

· Compatibility of the software of various computers within one hardware platform;

Minimal human intervention;

· Parametric versatility;

Functional redundancy (the presence in the system of several programs that implement the same function);

· Functional selectivity (the ability to configure the system for a specific user).

One can easily imagine what a long and interesting path the OS has gone through in its development, and what problems developers have faced in order to satisfy all the requirements presented above.

1.3 History of OS development

Of course, the development of the OS is closely related to the development of the computers themselves. Early computers did not provide for operating systems, so all the processes of starting and stopping programs, connecting external devices were done manually. Programming was carried out exclusively in machine language. At that time, machines were used more for research purposes, and not for solving specific practical problems. By the beginning of the 1950s, with the invention of punched cards - special cards onto which the program execution algorithm was transferred - the situation had changed somewhat, but in general, the maintenance and use of computers remained unacceptably difficult.

The first step towards facilitating communication with the machine was taken in the late 50s with the invention batch processing data. The idea was to assemble a complete package of tasks (a deck of punched cards), transfer them to magnetic tape, and then use special program(prototype of modern operating systems) sequentially launch them for execution already without the participation of the operator. Such processing of tasks significantly reduced the time for auxiliary activities of the organization of the calculation process itself. People no longer had to run around the room to transfer the results of data processing: they were now output to the printer offline (that is, without communication with the main computer). However, there was also a significant disadvantage: due to the fact that programmers lost direct access to computers, it took much more time to correct errors in programs.

The next step towards modern operating systems was the invention of the principle of multitasking. Previously, the main processor could be idle most of the time, waiting for an I/O command from a tape or other device. Naturally, this was very inconvenient, and in the case of commercial processing of information, such a downtime could take up 80% of the working time. The solution to the problem was to split the memory into several parts, each of which was given a separate task. Now the processor did not wait for the completion of the I / O operation, but switched to a program that was already ready for execution.

After multitasking came the time-sharing mode. This mode was designed for multi-terminal systems, when each user could work at his own terminal. For example, twenty users could be registered in the system and if seventeen of them are thinking, drinking coffee or going about their business, CPU provided to three users who wish to operate the machine. However, in such systems, the efficiency of using equipment was lower, which was a price for convenience.

All these innovations, of course, required the writing of operating systems that could be used on both large and small machines, both with a large number of peripherals, and with small, in the commercial field and in the field of scientific research. It was very difficult to meet all these requirements. The operating systems written then contained millions of lines, were very complex and contained thousands of errors. However, they also contributed to the development of the OS: some of the techniques that were used in the first operating systems are still alive and present in modern OS.

By the mid-1970s, minicomputers were becoming widespread. Their architecture has been greatly simplified and resources are limited. All this is reflected in the OS for such computers. They have become more compact and much closer to the concepts of modern operating systems. The most common operating system of that time was UNIX, the history of which we will consider later.

The real revolution was the invention in the early 80s of silicon microcircuits and, as a result, the appearance of the first personal computers (PCs). In terms of architecture, PCs were no different from minicomputers, but their cost was much lower. This allowed them to be purchased not only by universities, enterprises or government agencies, but also by ordinary people. The then popular UNIX operating system was too complex for non-professionals to use. The task was to create a friendly interface, i. intended for a user who knows nothing and does not want to know anything. This is where the well-known MS-DOS (MicroSoftDiskOperatingSystem) appeared. It should be noted that initially MS-DOS had an interface command line which was not too comfortable. And much later, a graphical environment for MS-DOS was created, called Windows, which subsequently formed into an independent OS. It was she who embodied the idea of ​​a graphical interface consisting of windows, icons, various menus and mice.

From the history of the development of the OS, it can be seen that the main task of the operating system has always been to ensure convenient interaction between a person and a machine. It seems that modern operating systems are doing the best they can with this task. However, from year to year, more and more new versions of the OS appear, more advanced and with new features, and the history of the development of operating systems is getting more and more continued.

2. Alternatives Windows

2.1 OS UNIX

2.1.1 Development history

UNIX was originally developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969 as a multitasking system for minicomputers and mainframes (huge room-sized computers).

A huge part of why UNIX became so popular, I believe, was the ability to port the system to different computers. Prior to that, for each specific machine, programmers had to rewrite the systems anew, which, of course, was not fun. In UNIX this problem has been solved. It was written in a high-level language - C. This made it possible to release only one version of the OS, which could then be compiled (translated) on different machines.

In 1974, UNIX was given to universities for "educational purposes". Moreover, it was provided with a complete set of source texts, which made it possible for the owners to endlessly correct it. So UNIX found commercial use and became one of the most common operating systems. The only problem was that each manufacturer added their own non-standard improvements, so for a very long time they could not write a software package for UNIX so that they could be run on any version of it. The solution to this problem was the creation of the POSIX standard, which incorporated the most common procedures found in most versions of UNIX. This somewhat simplified the situation and brought some unity to the development of UNIX versions.

To date, there are a huge number of clones of the UNIX system, including Linux, MINIX, SystemV, Solaries, XENIX, but all these operating systems retain the basic principles of the implementation of algorithms, data structures and system calls.

The most interesting of the listed operating systems is Linux. The peculiarity of this clone of UNIX is its business model: it is free software. Unlike Windows, Mac OS, and commercial UNIX-like systems, Linux does not have a geographic development center. There is no organization that would own this system. Programs for Linux are the result of the work of thousands of projects. Many projects bring together hackers from all over the world who know each other only by correspondence. Anyone can create their own project or join an existing one, and, if successful, the results of the work will become known to millions of users. Users take part in testing free software, communicate directly with developers, which allows them to quickly find and fix bugs and implement new features. This approach determines the economic efficiency and popularity of Linux. Today, this OS is used in many devices, ranging from mobile phones, routers and ending with unmanned military vehicles.

Based on diversity this family OS, we can conclude that UNIX played an important role in the development of operating systems and, without exaggeration, call it historically one of the most important.

2.1.2 Main advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of UNIX were originally laid down in the idea that was followed when it was created. "The operating system must rely on a small number of non-hardware concepts that collectively provide a mobile environment for developing and running applications." Based on this, we can distinguish two main "pluses" of the UNIX OS: simplicity and mobility. This is perhaps the main thing that distinguishes it from other operating systems.

Simplicity means that UNIX, due to the compactness of the kernel, is undemanding to computer resources (unlike the same Windows). In addition, UNIX contains many other advantages.

First, a simplified file model that allows you to create an unlimited number of subdirectories on your hard drive.

Secondly, it uses only six basic commands. The "fork" operation. By "fork", a process creates an exact copy of itself. This way you get two identical copies. The spawned copy most often executes another process - replaces itself new program. This is the second basic operation. The remaining four calls - open (open), close (close), read (read) and write (write) - are for accessing files. These six system calls are the simple operations that Unix is ​​made of. There are, of course, a myriad of other commands, but by knowing these five, you can easily perform basic operations in a UNIX environment.

Third, a significant simplification of UNIX was the use of a sufficiently developed command language in the basic interface of the system. Even today, with the advent of numerous graphical shells (such as XWindowSystem), there are many users who prefer the primary command line interface.

UNIX portability means that it can be used on different hardware platforms. In addition, there is the possibility of running programs by several users at once from one machine, which facilitates the creation of networks. By the way, thanks to this principle of multiterminality, UNIX played a big role in the development of the Internet.

Of course, the UNIX operating system is not perfect. You can find examples of dozens of other operating systems that are smarter, provide more powerful programming tools, and so on. The main disadvantages of the system include:

· Real-time mode is not supported (a type of multitasking in which the operating system itself transfers control from one executable program to another);

Weak resistance to hardware failures;

Decreased efficiency in solving the same type of tasks;

Poorly developed means of interaction and synchronization processes.

In addition, recent versions of UNIX have been noted to be excessively congested.

However, despite all its shortcomings, the UNIX family remains one of the most popular on the market and in the future can compete well with Windows.

2.1.3 Use

Originally designed to serve mainframes, today UNIX-like operating systems are mainly used to serve servers, but there are versions that are quite suitable for home or office use. Also, UNIX, due to its powerful combination of standard commands, is ideal for creating applications.

UNIX is good for the advanced user because requires knowledge of the principles of functioning of the processes occurring in it. Therefore, it is hardly suitable for "beginners". However, real multitasking and tight memory sharing make the system highly reliable, and if you need a reliable, flexible operating system, UNIX will suit you one hundred percent. That is why the UNIX line is so popular these days. In terms of reliability, most modern operating systems can hardly be compared with it. Not by chance armed forces and government organizations often prefer UNIX-like operating systems.

So, having originated almost like a toy project, today the operating room family UNIX systems is successfully implemented in various fields of activity: from banks and government agencies, to offices and supermarkets.

2.2 OS/2

2.2.1 History of creation

The OS/2 operating system began as a joint development between IBM and Microsoft (1984). However, the project subsequently fell apart, and Microsoft remade its version of OS / 2 into WindowsNT, while OS / 2 itself continued to be developed by IBM, which still did not pay due attention to this operating system. In general, the competition for leadership in the OS market between these companies has greatly influenced further development operating systems developed by both Microsoft and IBM.

OS/2 was originally conceived as a replacement for MS-DOS. Even then it was clear that MS-DOS had a number of significant drawbacks associated with limited memory and the file system, and could not use the full potential of computers of that time. The concepts behind the new OS were promising: OS/2 had to support preemptive multitasking, virtual memory, graphical user interface and run DOS applications. However, most of these plans failed to materialize.

The first version of OS/2, 1.0, released in 1987, contained most of the features needed for a multitasking OS. However, it did not have a graphical representation, and it also lacked drivers for many popular printers and other devices. In addition, she was quite demanding on computer resources; the execution and interaction of DOS applications was very slow, and sometimes it was impossible; at a time, the user could work with only one application, while the rest of the processes were running in background. All these shortcomings did not allow OS / 2 to "blow up" the operating system market like UNIX. Most users opted for the familiar, though not ideal, MS-DOS, or switched to Windows 3.1, released by Microsoft around the same time.

I think that IBM was just rushing to release the first versions of OS/2. Otherwise, this operating system could compete with the Windows and MS-DOS line.

Of course, with each new version of OS / 2 it got better and better. Already in OS / 2 v2.00 (1992), the main shortcomings of the first version were eliminated, moreover, it was the first available and working 32-bit operating system for personal computers, which undoubtedly attracted attention to it in the OS market. This was followed by the release of quite successful network versions of OS / 2 (for example, Warp 3, WarpConnect, Warp 4). Since then, OS/2-like operating systems have been designed more like network operating systems.

In 1997, there were good reasons to say that OS/2 was living its life as an operating system. For example, IBM officially announces the withdrawal of OS/2 from the consumer market, the OS/2 development department was disbanded, and users were advised to move to other operating systems. However, seeing that the world is increasingly immersed in the sphere of business and the Internet, IBM still returns to support OS / 2-like systems and in 1999 introduces a new version: Warp4.5 ServerforE-business (Aurora).

Thus, the family of OS/2 systems has very real development prospects, and it is at least premature to talk about the disappearance of this OS from the market.

2.2.2 Main advantages and disadvantages

It is rather difficult to single out any general advantages of the OS/2 family systems, since each version has its pros and cons, which may not be present in subsequent upgrades. However, I think the following can be considered common to all versions:

· powerful support for Internet and networking (especially for network versions);

stable operation of the system core, which means reliability.

The main and biggest disadvantage of OS / 2 is a very small amount of software and applications written for this operating system. In part, I think it has to do with IBM's own policy. At the very beginning of the development of OS / 2, IBM did not take this system carefully and did not cooperate with software developers at all. It is also surprising that today there are no drivers for this system on the official IBM website. In addition, none of the versions of OS/2 comes with primary codes, i.e. IBM, despite numerous requests from users, deprives them of the opportunity to independently develop the system, as is done in the case of Linux. (Although in fairness it should be noted that currently being prepared for release a new version OS / 2, called osFree, which just implies openness source code.) What is the reason for such a strange attitude of IBM to its creation remains a mystery to me.

A relative disadvantage of the system can be called a rather difficult and confusing process of installing the OS on a computer. Although, for experienced users, this is unlikely to be a problem.

Otherwise, OS / 2 is a stable system that confidently occupies its own (albeit small) niche in the operating system market.

2.2.3 Use

Today, many of the largest corporations in Europe trust OS/2 to manage their computer networks However, it should be noted that OS/2 is not widely used in Russia. OS / 2 has never been especially popular as a home operating system, remaining in the shadow of Windows.

Of course, OS / 2 is used as a server, where reliability and performance are required from it. Due to its stability, OS/2 is used in banking as an operating system for ATMs. OS / 2 is also convenient for use where you need to process large amounts of information, for example, at weather stations or in the field of scientific research. Less commonly, this system is used for application development. It is interesting to note that OS/2 has gained some popularity among gamers since its application conflict is much lower than that of the same Windows line.

So, we met with another alternative to the Windows family. However, I doubt that the OS / 2 family can strongly press Windows in the OS market, at least today. First of all, this is due to the small amount of software for this OS, and therefore the low popularity among PC owners. However, do not take OS / 2 lightly and throw it off the scales, because. once IBM pays enough attention to its development, it will immediately reveal its full potential.

2.3 macOS

2.3.1 Development history

It is worth mentioning right away that MacOS is intended for installation on computers manufactured by Apple. A feature of these computers is that both the software and the “innards” of the computer itself are assembled by one company, namely Apple. This approach allows to achieve the maximum balance between the software and the hardware that will be used with it, which, in turn, virtually eliminates the possibility of hardware conflicts that we often encounter when using the IBMPC. However, such computers cannot be called ideal. The fact is that they are monolithic computers, i.e. it is almost impossible to connect new devices or upgrade old ones in them. This, I believe, can be a serious drawback for some users, especially those who are used to building their own computer.

It is important to note that it was the Macintosh (namely, that's what Apple's computers are called) that were the first personal computers, and it was MacOS that was the first commercial operating system that offered the user not a command line interface, but such a graphical one familiar to us today, with windows, folders, icons and mouse pointer. The release of this operating system was a real revolution in the PC world, and many of the techniques used in it became the basis for the development of future operating systems. For example, the OCWindows GUI is almost identical GUI macOS. So we can safely say that MacOS is a kind of progenitor of Windows.

The first version of MacOS was released in 1984 along with the first personal computer Macintosh by Apple. It took only 216 kb disk space and worked even with the usual copying from one computer to another. But such a product was completely unprotected from counterfeiting, so the developers devoted all their time not only to its technical improvement, expanding functionality and stability, but also to protection. The main drawback of the first version was that just one “hanging” program led to the failure of the entire system, i.e. there was no preemptive multitasking. This shortcoming was corrected in the following versions of the OS. After the first version of MacOS, nine modifications of it came out. With each Mac version OS became more colorful, more effective, more convenient to use and more reliable.

To date, the latest version of this operating system is MacOSX, which has absorbed all the best from previous versions, and in my opinion can rightfully be called one of the most convenient operating systems.

2.3.2 Main advantages and disadvantages

Disputes on the account of what is better than the IBMPC platform or the Macintosh have been going on for a long time. From my point of view, the question of the pros and cons of Macintosh computers, and hence the MacOS operating system, is quite relative.

Traditionally, the disadvantages of MacOS include a high price. Yes, indeed, the price of Apple computers is almost twice the price of regular IBMPCs. But for this money, you get a beautiful, high-quality computer with its own special personality and a modern operating system, designed with all the latest technologies and scientific achievements. At the same time, MacOS OS was created specifically for Macintosh computers, which allows you to use the capabilities of iron one hundred percent, and not overpay money for new items that you don’t know when and with what you can evaluate.

The second drawback is the limited model range Macintosh computers. It turns out that Apple drives the user into a certain framework: after all, in order to enjoy all the benefits of MacOS, he simply has to buy a Macintosh. But on the other hand, when you come to the store, you do not have to think for a long time which Macintosh is worth choosing, while the quality of each of them will be at the highest level.

Another unpleasant problem is the closeness of MacOS, which primarily affects the lack of software for it from third-party developers. There are still some important software products written for Macintosh, and gamers won’t be able to roam, since games are developed primarily for Windows, and then for MacOS, and you won’t find some toys at all. But time does not stand still, and organizations appear that develop software products for MacOS, and well-known software developers are interested in making their product work on Macintosh computers. But most importantly, Apple included the BootCamp application in the latest version of MaOS, which makes it easy to install an operating system on Macintosh computers. Windows system and use any software on them.

Also, the undoubted advantages of MacOS, I think, include the absence of software and hardware conflicts, which the same Windows cannot boast of at all, and almost complete protection against viruses, worms and other evil spirits, because the number malware, capable of hitting MacOS, is almost zero. Therefore, I believe that this operating system still contains more advantages than disadvantages.

The debate about which is better can be continued indefinitely, but if you ask those who have decided and bought a Macintosh computer whether they agree to change it for another, most likely you will get a negative answer. Macintosh people love their computers. This can be explained by the fact that Apple's management creates its products primarily for people. Their main strategy is beauty and convenience. In addition, all their developments keep pace with the times, and even a little ahead of it. When buying a Macintosh computer with MacOS, you can be sure that it will not become obsolete in six months, but will be relevant for a long time to come.

.3.3 Use

Given all the advantages of MacOS, the question immediately arises why it is still not as widespread as its main competitor, the well-known Windows OS. The answer to it follows from the shortcomings given above: high price, lack of software, limited models, etc. Therefore, most users prefer the familiar IBMPC configuration with its familiar Windows.

However, despite this, MacOS still gained considerable popularity in the business field and among professionals involved in computer graphics and printing.

Based on this, I think the time is not far off when Apple computers with the MacOS operating system will become so popular (and they have all the prerequisites for this) that they will compete with Microsoft with its Windows OS.

Conclusion

So here we are at the end of the review. Windows alternatives. Of course, there are many other operating systems, besides those in my work, that can replace Windows. I tried to consider only the most widely used ones. We can say with accuracy that there are no “bad” or “good” among them. Each of the considered operating systems has its pros and cons. Their use depends on the scope of application, and, accordingly, the tasks that are set for them. Some operating systems are ideal for processing large amounts of information and are reliable, for example, the OS / 2 line of systems. Others differ in availability, such as Linux. Still others please with their colorfulness and showiness, for example, MacOS.

Of course, it's hard not to agree that Microsoft's brainchild will be a leader among software in the OS market, especially among "home" operating systems. There are quite understandable reasons for this: mass character, accessibility, ease of use, etc. However, there are quite worthy competitors, suitable for home use as well. The most striking of these systems, I believe, is MacOS. This system has its drawbacks, but all of them are lost against the background of its convenience and reliability. In addition, Windows is also not an ideal system. Application conflicts alone are worth something, and Windows' demands on hardware resources cannot be called low.

In any case, when choosing an operating system, you should not be guided by fashion trends. As I said, you must first of all proceed from the tasks that the OS should perform. After all, as we found out at the very beginning of the work, the operating system is the main link when a person works with a computer. The success of this work, and just its convenience, can greatly depend on the choice of OS.

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