Operating Systems: Concurrent and Distributed Software Design

2.4. Operating system functions

Our aim is to comprehend and build systems. Some, for example transaction processing systems, run on top of (under the control of) operating systems of some kind; others are subsystems which form part of operating systems (see Figure 1.12). It is therefore necessary to understand what an operating system can provide for any system or application which runs under its control and also to understand what the operating system may be hiding or making inaccessible. A study of the subsystems within operating systems fulfils both of these purposes: it explains the services they provide for the application level and also some of the details of the lower levels which are hidden from the application.

The functions of an operating ...