Evolution
of Operating Systems
Operating
Systems have come a long way since the 1940s.
The first generation of computers was literally the size of a classroom,
requiring little need for an operating system.
In 1955, the second-generation computers were introduced. Computers at this time were still very
expensive, averaging $200,000. The third-generation computers didn't come along
until the mid-1960s. These were designed with faster CPUs. In 1976 the first
supercomputer was produced. By the 1980s, computers started using multiple
processors, which now required a new type of operating system. In 1990 the
Internet became extremely popular, and the 2000s brought the ability of
virtualization, the ability to run multiple operating systems on top of a single
operating system.
First-generation computers were literally run by
programmers. The way the system was debugged was by literally stopping the
machine, adjusting the register, and then restarting the system. Programs could
only be edited by its creator due to the fact that the programming language was
so unique. Needless to say, at this time the CPU was utilized poorly. By the
second-generation, computers could now job schedule which slightly improved
efficiency. There was still an imbalance between the CPU and I/O devices,
causing extensive time lag. It was common for the CPU to be idle 94% of the
time. Eventually I/O devices became faster, and blocking was used, allowing
several logical records to group within one physical group. The
third-generation brought multiprogramming, which allowed multiple programs to
be loaded at once to share the attention of the CPU. Eventually using
multiprogramming, operating systems were able to take multiple slices of
programs, and feed them into the CPU when needed, greatly increasing
efficiency. By the late 1970s virtual memory was now possible, making it so
that programs didn't have to reside in the memory to run.
The
operating system pretty much had to step up its role in the computer system as
soon as virtual memory became possible. Because of the increase of efficiency,
to get the most out of the computer, operating systems now, not only had to
control the subsystem manager and devices, but had to do it both user-friendly
and efficiently. By the 90s, the Internet boom brought networking. Operating
systems now had the ability to use remote desktop capabilities, or control other
computers without physically being at the computer. Today, in 2012, we have the
ability to use virtualization, which allows us to run multiple operating
systems, such as Linux, on top of our main operating system, allowing a number
of possibilities. Just the thought of that alone, is enough evidence to show
how drastically operating systems have been improved in just 50 to 60 years.
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