IT Geeks.

[TheDanBurgess]

Currently writing a candidate statement for my college course;

Can anyone answer this;

Keep computer hardware and software operating efficiently
1) Describe the main features and functions of the computer operating system.

If anyone can answer that in good structured sentence I will probably jizz

ijoke


<3

[chinkostu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system

its hard to describe in laymans terms tbh. i could rattle on for days, but aslong as you say its software that communicates with the hardware on a low level so that other functions can be performed, and without an OS the computer can only perform very simple commands (if any these days!). can even mention how a GUI is not always required, such as with servers where having a GUI would waste resources

[0rang3peel]

In really simple terms, you could go so deep with this question & there's so much info on the net but in very very very simple terms

The OS is usually a gui that provides us with the ability to utilise/interact with hardware.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Computer_abstraction_layers.svg/200px-Computer_abstraction_layers.svg.png

[Brettles1986]

An operating system is an abstract layer that allows applications and services to interact with hardware.

Main functions

Memory management
Processors management
File managment
Service management

Sure there's some more

[logic_guy]

Just mention Blue Screen Of Death.... I think that will summarise it all.

[RustySkull]

It will take many pages to describe everything....