Differences and Similarities Between Operating Systems
POS/355 Intro to Operating Systems
November 5, 2012

Differences and Similarities Between Operating Systems There are many similarities and differences among the top desktop operating systems UNIX/Linux, Windows, and Mac. An operating system is the software which operates the basic functions of a computer. Among these functions are task scheduling, I/O, and the execution of programs. There are key areas in which these operating systems must function. Memory management, processor management, file management, and security are the main focus of an operating system. Memory management refers to the way an operating system manages the computer memory. Processor management is the way the computer handles processing of programs. File management is the way an operating system allows files to be saved, deleted and handled by the user. Security is addressed by the operating system to ensure that the files on a computer are safe from unwanted intrusion and manipulation. Each of the three operating systems confronts these functions in their own way. In some ways they are similar and there are also specific differences. Memory management is the function of a computers operating system responsible for managing the computers primary memory. The memory management function keeps track of the status of each memory location, either allocated or free. It determines how memory is allocated among competing processes, deciding who gets memory, when they receive it, and how much they are allowed. When memory is allocated it determines which memory locations will be assigned. It tracks when memory is freed or unallocated and updates the status. The memory management subsystem is one of the most important parts of the operating system. Since the early days of computing, there has been a need for more memory than exists