Evolution of OS

Introduction

• The evolution of operating systems (OS) can be traced back to the early days of computing when the first computers were designed for specific purposes and were operated by engineers and technicians.
• The evolution of operating systems (OS) can be traced back to the 1950s when the first mainframe computers were developed. At that time, computer systems were very large, expensive and required specialized operators to run them.
• During this time(the 1950s), computers were large, expensive, and used by only a few individuals or organizations. As a result, the early operating systems were very simple and were primarily designed to control the hardware.
• The evolution of operating systems has been driven by advances in hardware technology and the needs of users. As technology continues to evolve, operating systems will evolve to meet new demands and provide new features and functionality.

Generation of OS

The evolution/development of the operating system can be summarised as the generation of OS :

1. First Generation OS:

   • The first generation of operating systems was developed in the 1950s.
   • This generation of OS was mainly designed for batch processing, which involved executing large numbers of jobs without any user interaction.
   • These systems were mainly used in large-scale mainframe computers.

2. Second Generation OS:

   • In the 1960s, second-generation operating systems were developed.
   • This generation of OS introduced the concept of time-sharing, allowing multiple users to interact with a computer at the same time.
   • The most famous example of a second-generation operating system is UNIX, which is still used today.

3. Third Generation OS:

   • The 1980s saw the emergence of third-generation operating systems.
   • This generation of OS was designed to be more user-friendly and to support graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
   • Third-generation examples of OS are – Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh OS.

4. Fourth Generation OS:

   • Fourth-generation operating systems were developed in the 1990s
   • Fourth-generation operating systems are still in use today.
   • These systems are designed to be highly portable and support a wide range of hardware and software applications.
   • Examples of Fourth-generation operating systems are – Windows 10, macOS, and Linux.

5. Fifth Generation OS:

   • The fifth generation of operating systems is currently being developed and will focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
   • These systems are expected to be highly integrated, secure, and intelligent.

Category of Evolution of OS

• The evolution of operating systems (OS) can be traced back to the 1950s when early computers were first developed.
• Over the years, operating systems have evolved and become more advanced, with new features and improvements being added along the way.
• The evolution category of operating systems are:

1. 1. Batch Processing Systems:

      • In the early days of computing, computers were used mainly for scientific calculations, and the operating systems were designed to run one program at a time.
      • Batch processing systems were introduced in the 1950s, which allowed multiple programs/jobs to be submitted in batches and executed sequentially.
      • It was the first operating system that was designed to manage batch processing systems.

   2. Time-Sharing Systems:

      • In the 1960s, time-sharing operating systems were introduced, which allowed multiple users to access/share a single computer system simultaneously through terminals.
      • These systems were designed to allow users to interact with the computer in real-time, making it possible to run interactive applications.

   3. Personal Computers Systems:

      • In the 1970s, the introduction of personal computers, such as the Apple II and the IBM PC came into existence.
      • These computers had their own operating systems, such as Apple DOS and MS-DOS, which were simple command-line interfaces. This is the most famous operating system from this era.
      • In the 1970s, the development of microprocessors and the miniaturization of computer hardware led to the development of personal computers (PCs).

   4. Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) Systems:

      • In the 1980s, the first graphical user interfaces were introduced, which allowed users to interact with the computer using icons, menus, and windows using a mouse instead of typing commands.
      • The most well-known GUIs are Apple’s Macintosh operating system and Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

   5. Networking Systems:

      • The 1990s saw the widespread adoption of networking technologies, which allowed computers to communicate with each other and share resources.
      • This led to the development of client-server architectures and distributed systems where multiple computers could share resources over a network.
      • Windows NT and UNIX operating systems of this era were designed to support multiple users and provide advanced networking capabilities.

   6. Mobile Devices Systems:

      • In the 2000s, the rise of mobile devices, such as Laptops, smartphones, and tablets, led to the development of mobile operating systems, such as iOS and Android.
      • These operating systems are designed for small screens and touch-based input support for mobile-specific features such as GPS and accelerometers.

   7. Cloud Computing:

      • In recent years, the rise of cloud computing has led to the development of cloud-based operating systems, which run on remote servers and provide access to applications and data over the internet.
      • Here, applications and data are hosted on remote servers rather than on local machines.
      • Examples of cloud-based operating systems include Google’s Chrome OS and Microsoft’s Windows 365.

Over time, operating systems became more complex and powerful, with the ability to support multiple users and handle a variety of input and output devices.