This post explains the different types of operating systems that are used in PCs, category is based on the types of computers they control and the sort of applications they support.
• Single-user, single task - As the name implies, this operating system is designed to manage the computer so that one user can effectively do one thing at a time. DOS is a good example of a single-user, single-task operating system.
• Single-user, multi-tasking - This is the type of operating system most people use on their desktop and laptop computers today. Windows 98 and the MacOS are both examples of an operating system that will let a single user have several programs in operation at the same time. For eg. it's entirely possible for a Windows user to be writing a note in a word processor while downloading a file from the Internet while printing the text of an e-mail message.
• Multi-user - A multi-user operating system allows many different users to take advantage of the computer's resources simultaneously. The operating system must make sure that the requirements of the various users are balanced, and that each of the programs they are using has sufficient and separate resources so that a problem with one user doesn't affect the entire community of users. Unix, Windows 2000, Linux and mainframe operating systems, are examples of multi-user operating systems.
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