Detail Functions of Operating System

1. Act as the base when running the application software.

OS acts as the base of application software. Application program is like the branches, it can't grow out if there is no trunk. So OS is like the trunk of a tree. Both OS and application software must work together to get the fruits (work done).

2. Handle the details of each hardware.

As a host of a computer, one of the purposes of the operating system is to handle the details of hardware. This relieves the application software from having to manage the details and therefore it is easier to write an application.

3. Program execution

Support the running program by the users is the basic function of the operating system. In a multiprogramming operating system, running program is normally referred to as processes. Process management refers to the facilities provided by the operating system to support the creation, execution, and destruction of process, and to facilitate different kind of interaction, and limit others.

4. Handle interrupts

In modern operating system, interrupts are handled by the operating system's kernel (the central component of most computer OS). Interrupts may come from either computer hardware or a running program. When either of them triggers the interrupt, the OS kernel decides how to deal with this event, generally by running some process code, or just ignoring it.

5. Memory management

The multiprogramming OS's kernel is responsible in managing all the system memory which in use by programs. This is to ensure a program does not interfere the memory that is already used by another running program. Since programs are used at the same time, each program must has an independant access to the memory.

6. Virtual memory addressing

Virtual memory addressing means the kernel can choose which memory each program may use at any given time, allowing the operating system to use the same memory locations for multiple tasks. In modern OS, application memory which is accessed less frequently can be temporarily stored in disk or other media to make that space available for other programs.

7. Networking

Operating systems support a variety of networking protocols. This means that computers running dissimilar operating systems can participate in a common network for sharing resources such as files, printer, scanner, wireless connection, etc.