Operating
Systems: Managing our World
Samuel
Warren
IS
340 – Operating Systems
Professor
William Arakai
City University
of Seattle
March
6, 2011
Operating
Systems: Managing our World
Since
the creation of the computer, there has been a constant race; smaller computer
hardware, faster and more powerful operating systems. But what is an operating
system? Operating Systems could be compared to a restaurant manger. It
schedules activities, manages resources, and takes care of major problems with
software as they come up. Operating Systems are some of the most technically
complex and diverse pieces of software ever created. They are a works of art, incredibly
complex and masterfully created. Despite the artistry associated with them and
their fan following, Operating Systems remain a tool. Even a hammer created of
precious gems would be useless if it was not used as a hammer. Tools derive
their value from their use. How well they are used, how often, and how well
they respond under less than ideal circumstances are some of the many questions
that arise as Operating Systems are used.
Each operating
system has its own quirks, strong-points, and down-right ugly features. But
underneath each are strong code bases, strong features, and strong controls to
make the best use of the resources they control. Among the most used are
Microsoft Windows, Unix, Linux, and Apple’s OS X. To better understand each,
one needs to understand the history of the product, some of the strengths, the
weaknesses, and unique features. While the applications of each is different,
understanding the basic functions will help consumers identify which product
they feel is the best for their needs.
To start, the
controversial giant Microsoft’s product: Windows. Windows has come a long ways
in a short time. In 1983, Bill Gates announced the new titular graphical user
interface or GUI to IBM management. Windows 1.0 was intended to be paired with
IBM personal computers. However, it was actually called “Interface Manager”
(Bellis, 2011). The idea to call it
windows was based strictly off a satirical nickname for the recently released
Mac OS, “WIMP.” WIMP stands for Windows, Icons, Mice and Pointers interface
(Bellis). WIMP was a basic level understanding of what Mac OS was all about
graphically. It was about a top level “window” or, as it is commonly referred
to desktop, that holds graphical icons that represent the command to execute
the programs or specific user commands. One uses a human interface device
called the “Mouse” to select one of the icons that opens another “Window.”
While the original idea for this operating system was taken from the Mac
platform, Bill Gates’ Microsoft shortened the name to “Windows” and their team
worked with it to make it the product it is today. Bellis believes the main
success behind Windows is due to its early support for 3rd party
peripherals, such as mice, printers, and monitors. While the others did allow
for 3rd party peripherals, they did not make it easy for them to be
integrated into the operating system.
Then Bill Gates had a stroke of genius.
Bill Gates and his
head counsel Bill Neukom, decided to make an offer to license features of
Apple's operating system. Apple agreed and a contract was drawn up. Here's the
clincher: Microsoft wrote the licensing agreement to include use of
Apple features in Microsoft Windows version 1.0 and all future Microsoft
software programs. (Bellis)
This meant that they would be
allowed to make typically Mac exclusive features work on all iterations of
Microsoft Windows. As the rapid changes in technology made their way into the
market, Microsoft changed to match. Windows 3.0 was one of the more notable
updates, it came with a newly overhauled program manager, supported higher
resolution color schemes, and garnered more support for 3rd party
software and hardware. Windows took the next step in 1995 and released Windows
95, which was their first product to include off the shelf support for dial-up
networking, the first forms of the internet connection. 3 years later, they
continued their advancement with Windows 98, then the controversial Windows
2000, and Windows Millennium Edition (ME). The latter two were plagued with
quite a few major issues that were not easily fixed. However, they enjoyed
relative success. The real winner, however, was Windows NT, using their
patented networking technology, which quietly became the main operating system
of larger corporations due to its ease of use, great price point, and support
for a large number of software and hardware configurations. In 2001, Microsoft
released one of its most dominant operating systems, Windows XP. Windows XP
increased support for multi-media as well as automatic updates to those
computers that were connected to the internet. Windows has, however, continued
to play host too many problems and vulnerabilities. Despite some of the major
problems, including what was affectionately called “The blue screen of death,”
Microsoft quickly became the largest supplier of Operating Systems worldwide. With
a target as big as Windows, it was only a matter of time before they were
exploited.
By chasing the
twin gods of simplicity and backward compatibility, Windows continuously leaves
itself open to abuse. Ifs[sic] true that Microsoft's dominance in end-user
operating systems leaves Windows as the lowest of the hanging fruit for malware
authors, but Windows' design and architecture make it a meal that’s all the
more tasty. (Donston, 2005).
While Windows developers have
constantly strove to build a system that is free of vulnerabilities, it seems
as though more just open up. So, to meet that pace, they push out security
updates at a surprising pace to patch the potential holes that are discovered.
Without question, Microsoft’s Windows product is one of the most long-lasting,
well-supported, and easily useable products world-wide. They make an impact
every time they create a new Operating System and set the standards for
usability and integration with each new version of their monolithic system.
The
next operating system is very different in many respects. Linux was created by
Linus Torvalds in 1991. The origin, however, started in 1979 in Seattle, Washington.
AT&T announced that they would be selling their “Unix System V” at $40,000
per CPU. They added a reduced cost of $7,500 for universities. A professor at
the University of
Amsterdam found this
distasteful, so he stripped down the Unix source code (called a kernel) and
called it Minix. Minix could actually run on minimal settings on a desktop
computer. However, as is often the case with one off systems, it was not
adequate for what Torvalds needed. After getting frustrated with the University of Helsinki’s computer schedule, Torvalds
began using Minix, but decided that he would make an Operating System that
would meet his needs; thus, Linux was born. Linux takes the most basic of
functions from Unix and adds GNU’s General Public License making Linux free and
open source. The plan with Linux becoming open source meant that Linux could be
modified by anyone at any time without risk of prosecution for copyright
infringement. One of the most well-known modifiers of the Linux kernel is the
Red Hat company. By adding low level programs that would work in Linux, such as
device drivers, networking, process controls, and peripheral support, Torvalds
and the GNU project team created a free option for those wishing to develop
their own operating system, or those hoping to avoid having to buy the Windows
or the Mac OS options.
While
Linux takes the basic Operating System functions and allows users to access
them, it would not have become as well known as it is if it were not for a key
choice Torvalds made early on.
Linux may have
remained in that early state if it weren't for the Internet, because it was the
Internet that got the word out so quickly. Soon after Torvalds mentioned
his development to the Minix newsgroup, it was arranged that Linux would be
available to anyone who wanted to download it, for free, over the
Internet. Linux was licensed under the Free Software Foundation's General
Public License, meaning that anyone could sell, copy and change the source
code, as long as they allowed others to do the same. (Brandel, 1999)
There is a real advantage to having
the source code for an Operating System being open to all who use it. For one,
the operating system becomes very flexible, making it customizable to those
desiring a high level of personalization. It also means that there are a large
number of users who become subject matter experts in the Linux kernel. Along
with that, however, there are some disadvantages. One key disadvantage is the
lack of specific support in the event the source code is damaged. If someone
modifies the source code to their liking and it becomes damaged, no one really
knows how to fix it. On one hand, that means that person becomes more
intimately familiar with the code, and can write a solution. On the other, if
they are an amateur, they may have a huge problem and lose everything they have
worked on.
Next
is the grandfather system, Unix. Unix
started as a project from a program called Multics created by Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, AT&T Bell labs, and General Electric. Multics,
short for Multiplexing Information and Computer Services, was just the starting
point. In 1971, Doctor Ken Thompson began working with the aforementioned
companies to create the “C” programming language, as well as Unix. Unix was
later released in 1977 amid lawsuits and other legal problems. According to the
Economist’s 2004 edition,
The
later history of Unix is convoluted, and indeed has again
become mired in court battles. Following its origins at Bell Labs, a
competing version sprang up at the University of California, Berkeley, which
first released its version of Unix in 1977, under the leadership of a
graduate student named Bill Joy, who later went on to found Sun
Microsystems. Ideological battles raged between adherents of the two
versions of Unix through much of the 1980s. (p.37)
Unix was built with intention to
make a highly flexible, multi-user system. According to AT&T’s Bell-labs.com,
“Its popularity is due to many factors, including its ability to run a wide
variety of machines, from micros to supercomputers, and its portability -- all
of which led to its adoption by many manufacturers” (http://www.Bell-labs.com/history/unix/,
2002). Unix has become one of the legacy operating systems that other
developers look up to. The fact that it has been around in one form or another
since 1977 is a testament to the brilliance of its creator.
Finally,
we have Apple’s OS X. As of May, 1985, almost all of Steve Job’s operational
responsibilities had been taken from him (Singh, 2003). He decided to work on
creating a new computer that would be used primarily for universities and scientific
research labs. However, after many attempts to design and build a system, Apple
was not able to land a successful bid at an operating system. Jobs wanted to
beat Microsoft’s Windows 95 and began working on “Pink OS” codenamed “Project
Copland” (Singh, 2003). However, after many different setbacks, Jobs and Apple
were unable to successfully bundle Pink OS. According to Singh,
Apple then
considered Windows NT, Solaris and even Pink OS. Then, Steve Jobs called
Amelio, and advised him that Be [an operating system they were looking at] was
not a good fit for Apple's OS roadmap. NeXT contacted Apple to discuss
possibilities of licensing OPENSTEP, which, unlike BeOS, had at least been
proven in the market. Jobs pitched NeXT technology very strongly to Apple, and
asserted that OPENSTEP was many years ahead of its time. All this worked out,
and Apple acquired NeXT in February, 1997, for $427 million. (2003).
This became the basis for all
future iterations of MAC OS X. The X implies that each new iteration is intended
to replace the next. OS X was actually created from a modified version of Unix
that Apple called A/UX (Singh, 2003). From that point on, all of the Apple
“Mac” brand computers would carry the flagship OS, cemented in the mind’s of
Apple consumers as a different big cat, for example, Snow Leopard represents OS
10.6. Apple has always been about making a computer that would work for the
most inexperienced user while maintaining a highly polished system. According
to their website,
Mac OS X is both
easy to use and incredibly powerful. Everything — from the desktop you see when
you start up your Mac to the applications you use every day — is designed with
simplicity and elegance in mind. So whether you’re browsing the web, checking
your email, or video chatting with a friend on another continent,* getting
things done is at once easy to learn, simple to perform, and fun to do. Of
course, making amazing things simple takes seriously advanced technologies, and
Mac OS X is loaded with them. Not only is it built on a rock-solid, time-tested
UNIX foundation that provides unparalleled stability, it also delivers
incredible performance, stunning graphics, and industry-leading support for
Internet standards. (Apple.com)
When looking at a Mac, it is clear
that they delivered on their promise to make a system that looks as amazing as
it operates. Like Microsoft did with its Windows, Apple ensured that there was
a huge amount of support built into the OS X project cycle. Apple, however,
made some choices that set it apart from its competitors. For example, using
the Universal Serial Bus (more commonly referred to as USB) set the trend for
not only Apple branded computers, but also Windows, Linux, and Unix machines
the world over. While OS X does not have a lot of support for 3rd
party peripherals, it makes up for that lack of support by offering all its own
peripherals. Apple’s OS X platform truly is as trendy and hip as it is
portrayed in the “I’m a Mac” commercials. However, underneath that polished
exterior is the rock-solid heartbeat of Apple’s very own operating system.
When
comparing computer systems, there are a number of things needing to be
evaluated. The processor, the hard-drive, and speed of the network interface
are all very important, but without the operating system, they are useless.
Similarly, a Ford Mustang without an engine is just a highly polished soap-box
racer. To carry the illustration farther, how fast the car goes, how long it
will last, and what kind of gas-consumption it has is mostly determined by the
engine. Underneath the polished veneer of the computer could be a number of
different operating systems. Each has a variety of different uses and each
appeal to different users. Microsoft Windows has been a veritable “Titan” of
computing power. Offering a huge range of support for 3rd party
peripherals and highly polished security. Windows continues to be a
power-packed operating system that is one of the most well-known, wide-spread
operating systems. While Linux and Mac OS X share a common base, namely they
were both modified from Unix, that is all they share. Linux was designed to be
agile, flexible, and modifiable. OS X was designed to be a power-house
competitor to Windows, but is locked down so tightly that no one can modify the
base code. While Linux was designed to be free, open source products, Apple’s
OS X was designed to be bundled with Apple’s specified hardware. Unix, the
grandfather of operating systems, is one of the most well-known systems that
offers multi-user access to personal as well as corporate computer systems.
With newer technology rapidly coming into the marketplace, such as the newly
announced iPad 2, or the newer faster notebook computers, each operating system
will continue to undergo changes that make them work better and more
efficiently with fewer vulnerabilities.
References
Apple.
(n.d.). Apple.com, Support, Mac OS X. In Mac OS X - What is OS X [Website].
Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Apple website:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/what-is-macosx/
Bellis,
M. (n.d.). The Unusual History of Microsoft Windows [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved
March 5, 2011, from About.com website:
http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/Windows.htm/
Brandel,
M. (1999). Linus Launches Linux. Computerworld, 33(43), 78.
Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Donston,
D. (2005). 20 YEARS OF WINDOWS. eWeek, 22(45), 43-52.
Retrieved from
EBSCOhost.
Lucent
Technologies. (2002). The Creation of Unix [Fact Sheet].
Retrieved
from
http://www.bell-labs.com/history/unix/
Singh,
A. (2003, December). What is MAC OS X. In A Brief History of Mac OS X [Fact
Sheet]. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from
http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/ancient/whatismacosx//history.html
Unix's
founding fathers. (2004). Economist, 371(8379), 37-38. Retrieved from
EBSCOhost.
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