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What is the Use of Operating Systems?

2 Citations•1965•
P. L. Cloot
Comput. J.

The aim of this paper is to show that computer operating systems are, from the user's point of view, not only inevitable but desirable.

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show that computer operating systems are, from the user's point of view, not only inevitable but desirable. It is not intended to be a technical account of operating systems or of particular ways of implementing them, as enough papers and manuals are already available on the subject. The proceedings of the Edinburgh Joint Computer Conference (1964) give a broad survey of users' views on computers, and a more specialized book has recently been published (Wegner, 1964) which represents current thinking in this country on operating systems. It is hoped rather that this paper will serve as an introduction to the subject for those who need to know what all the fuss is about. Another area it is not proposed to tackle is that concerning the physical equipment actually used to implement any particular machine system. Endless arguments can be, and often are, carried on about the relative merits of various forms of "hardware." All the user is concerned about is how the overall system behaves, and whether the hardware the designers chose to implement can be manufactured punctually to be reliable at a reasonable price. (It is blithely assumed in saying this that the user is confident of his ability to make effective use of the equipment if it is installed in working order on time! This raises a whole host of other problems, which again are not the subject of this paper.)