An Operating System (OS) is described as an interface between a computer user and computer

hardware. An operating system is a software which performs all the basic tasks like file
management, memory management, process management, handling input and output, and
controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers. Examples of Operating Systems
include Linux Operating System, Windows Operating System and Ms Dos.

MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System)

MS-DOS is a single-user, single-tasking computer operating system that uses a command

line interface. , MS-DOS 1.0 was released in August 1981, it came complete with as 16-
bit operating system. This was Microsoft's first operating system, and it also became the first
widely used operating system for the IBM PC.

Windows 1.0

This was the first version of windows Operating system which was released in 1985. Microsoft
Windows 1.0 was named due to the computing boxes, or "windows" that represented a
fundamental aspect of the operating system. Windows for the first time allowed DOS users to
visually navigate a virtual desktop, opening graphical windows displaying the contents of
electronic folders and files with the click of a mouse button, rather than typing commands and
directory paths at a text prompt.

In 1987 Microsoft released Windows 2.0, which was designed for the Intel 286 processor. This
version added desktop icons, keyboard shortcuts and improved graphics support.
Windows 3.0 was released in May, 1900 offering better icons, performance and advanced
graphics with 16 colors designed for Intel 386 processors. Windows 3.0 included Program
Manager, File Manager and Print Manager and games (Hearts, Minesweeper and Solitaire).
Microsoft released Windows 3.1 in 1992.

Windows 95- was released in 1995 and was a major upgrade to the Windows operating system.
This OS was a significant advancement over its precursor, Windows 3.1. Windows 95 also
includes a number of important internal improvements. It supports 32-bit applications, which
means that applications written specifically for this operating system should run much faster.

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Although Windows 95 can run older Windows and DOS applications, it has essentially removed
DOS as the underlying platform. This has meant removal of many of the old DOS limitations,
such as 640K of main memory and 8-character filenames. Other important features in this
operating system are the ability to automatically detect and configure installed hardware.

Windows 98
Windows 98 was later released in June 1998 and it offers support for a number of new
technologies, including FAT32, AGP, MMX, USB, DVD, and ACPI. Its most visible feature,
though, is the Active Desktop, which integrates the Web browser (Internet Explorer) with the
operating system. From the user's point of view, there is no difference between accessing a
document residing locally on the user's hard disk or on a Web server halfway around the world.
Windows Millennium Edition (September 2000)
The Windows Millennium Edition, called "Windows Me" was an update to the Windows 98 core
and included some features of the Windows 2000 operating system. This version also removed
the "boot in DOS" option.
Windows NT 31. - 4.0
This version of windows operating system was first released in 1993-1996. Windows NT (New
Technology) is a 32-bit operating system that supports preemptive multitasking. Windows NT
comes in two versions that is, Windows NT Server, designed to act as a server in networks, and
Windows NT Workstation for stand-alone or client workstations. 
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is an operating system for business desktop and laptop systems to run software
applications and it was released in February 2000. It allows connection to Internet and intranet
sites, and access files, printers, and network resources. Microsoft released four versions of
Windows 2000 Professional for business desktop and laptop systems, Server for both a Web
server and an office server) Advanced Server for line-of-business applications and Datacenter
Server for high-traffic computer networks.

Windows XP

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Windows XP was released in 2001. Along with a redesigned look and feel to the user interface,
the new operating system is built on the Windows 2000 kernel, giving the user a more stable and
reliable environment than previous versions of Windows. Windows XP comes in two versions,
Home and Professional.  Microsoft focused on mobility for both editions, including plug and
play features for connecting to wireless networks. The operating system also utilizes
the 802.11x wireless security standard. Windows XP is one of Microsoft's best-selling products.

Windows Vista
Windows Vista was then released in November 2006, offering an advancement in reliability,
security, ease of deployment, performance and manageability over Windows XP. This version
was capable of detect hardware problems before they occur, security features to protect against
the latest generation of threats, faster start-up time and low power consumption of the new sleep
state. Windows Vista was considered as more responsive than Windows XP on identical
hardware components. It simplifies and centralizes desktop configuration management, reducing
the cost of keeping systems updated.

Windows 7
Windows 7 was released by Microsoft on October 22, 2009 to support 32bit and 64bit processors
and also requiring 1GB Ram.Windows 7 was released in conjunction with Windows Server 2008
R2, Windows 7's server counterpart. Enhancements and new features in Windows 7 include
multi-touch support, Internet Explorer 8, improved performance and start-up time, Aero Snap,
Aero Shake, support for virtual hard disks, a new and improved Windows Media Center, and
improved security.

Windows 8
Windows 8 64bit processor was released on August 2012 and is a completely redesigned
operating system that has been developed from the ground up with touchscreen use in mind as
well as near-instant-on capabilities that enable a Windows 8 PC to load and start up in a matter
of seconds rather than in minutes. It requires minimum of 2GB Ram for it to operate on a
computer. The Metro user interface primarily consists of a "Start screen" made up of "Live

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Tiles," which are links to applications and features that are dynamic and update in real time.
Windows 8 also supports both x86 PCs and ARM processors.

Windows 10
Windows 10 was developed as Microsoft's Windows successor to Windows 8. It was released in
July 29, 2015, following a technical preview beta release of the new operating system that
arrived in fall 2014 and a "consumer preview" beta in early 2015. It aslo requires minimum of
2GB Ram and operates on advanced intel processors. Microsoft described the features of
Windows 10 as fast start up and resume, built-in security and the return of the Start Menu in an
expanded form. This version of Windows will also feature Microsoft Edge, Microsoft's new
browser. Any qualified device (such as tablets, PCs, smartphones and Xbox consoles) can
upgrade to Windows 10, including those with pirated copies of Windows.

UNIX/LINUX Operating systems

Unix operating system was developed by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchioe of AT&T Bell
Laboratoriesin 1969. It was then first released in 1970.

In 1991 Linux was developed by Linus Torvald. It was the first Operating system to be released
as an open and free operating systems. Linux OS was then paired with GNU softwares and it was
running on intel 386 processor.

Mac OS,

This is an operating system (OS) developed by the American computer company Apple Inc. Mac

OS was introduced in 1984 to run the company’s Macintosh line of personal computers (PCs). It
heralded the era of graphical user interface (GUI) systems, and it inspired Microsoft
Corporation to develop its own GUI, the Windows OS.

The first is colloquially called the "classic" Mac OS, which was introduced in 1984, and the final
release of which was Mac OS 9 in 1999. The first desktop version, Mac OS X 10.0 which
requires 128mb Ram, was released in March 2001, with its first update, 10.1, arriving later that
year., Apple began naming its releases after big cats, which lasted until Intel Macs (64bit) 10.8

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released in 2007 (prosumer and iMac), Mountain Lion. OS X 10.9 Mavericks, releases have been
named after landmarks in California. Apple shortened the name to "OS X" in 2012 and then
changed it to "macOS" in 2016, adopting the nomenclature that they were using for their other
operating systems, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. The latest version is macOS High Sierra, which
was publicly released in September 2017.

Android

Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google, based on a modified version of the

Linux kernel and other open source software and designed primarily for touchscreen mobile
devices such as smartphones and tablets. Android was unveiled in 2007, with the first
commercial Android device launched in September 2008. The operating system has since gone
through multiple major releases, with the current version being 9.0 "Pie", released in August
2018. The core Android source code is known as Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and is
primarily licensed under the Apache License.