Operating system full tutorial pdf Continue Josh Wepman Operating Systems are the core computing environment - providing users with a generic and easy-to-use interface for hardware and software installed on a computer. Operating system code damages computers, allowing hackers to steal data and damage both hardware and software. The security of the operating system is crucial because it protects the central computer control system. Operating systems consist of hundreds of thousands of lines of code. Because people program and debug each operating system, hundreds of vulnerabilities are entered into the code during development. These flaws, ranging from simple undesirable behaviors or error messages to full-scale system som with data damage, can have disastrous consequences for data management and performance. Operating system manufacturers such as Microsoft and Apple often publish code updates called patches to fix these vulnerabilities and ensure system stability. Most operating systems have an login function or a method of separating user files and accessing a computer. Passwords and usernames, which are used in all major operating systems, provide controlled access to individual domains in the system (both on the hard drive and in the operating system itself). Security experts do not consider passwords to be a safe authentication method, as most users' passwords are easily guessed or recorded and stored in an unsafe location. Authentic fraud (posing as another authorized user) poses a serious security risk to operating systems because it allows an attacker to take on another digital identity to steal data or launch further attacks. Malware, shrinking from malicious software, captures the operating system to perform some kind of task for the attacker. Viruses, trojans and spyware are the most common form of malware, and every job is to undermine the security management of the operating system. Hackers often turn compromised computers into bots or zombies, forcing them to join the networks of thousands of other systems to carry out large-scale attacks on businesses or governments. Malware usually requires a kind of user action - downloading and running an infected file, or connecting a compromised USB key - to hack into the operating system. Physical security is the most important method of ensuring the security of the operating system. Because the operating system code and configuration files are installed on the system's hard drive, an attacker with physical access to the system it's easy to change, delete, or steal critical files from the system. For this reason, most commercial servers are kept indoors and monitored by armed guards. New York Times author Joe Nocera argues that the Windows operating system no longer matters because web applications make all operating systems irrelevant. He asks: You really really are more, which operating system do you use? I do not. For years I owned both a PC and a Mac. I could use Microsoft Internet Explorer, Safari from Apple or Mozilla Firefox, more or less interchangeable to access the Internet. I could write an article on one computer, send it via email to another, and it worked just fine. [...] Even my teenage sons, who are stuck with Windows because most of the computer games were written for PCs, stopped caring. They could play games over the internet, and all the most popular games were made for Mac as well. Photo Jimmy_Joe.Houston Chronicle writer Dwight Silverman disagrees: How you interact with this OS remains an important aspect. The operating system controls the interface between the person and the machine. If you don't think the OS matters, spend some time talking to Windows die-hards and Macintosh fanatics. They have a close, personal relationship to look and feel like their computers. And even those who don't think of OS as a religion, and that's most of us, still appreciate the OS function. Set the average Windows user down in front of the Mac for the first time and watch them fumble, trying to find things if you don't think the OS matters. We can see both sides of this argument (as we switch back and forth between multiple operating systems during the day to write this site), but we want to know what you think. Tell us if you think web-like desktop advertising is just that, or if the browser really is the only operating system you need in the comments. Does Windows matter? (NY Times) Yes, the operating system still matters. For now. (Technical blog) We write about different platforms here at Lifehacker, and even if you're quite happy with what you're using, nothing makes you feel more grateful (let alone knowledgeable) than trying something new. Take some of your free time this weekend and give the new OS a shot. WindowsWindows gets a bad rap these days, but it's actually a great operating system. If you haven't tried windows 7 (or if you haven't used it at the time), check out our master list of Windows 7 shortcuts, and learn great features such as taskbar and Windows 7 libraries. Of course, it has a lot of really underhyped features that rock, too, not to mention many clever hidden tricks. Despite being the most popular operating system in the world, Windows gets a lot of anti-aircraft from Mac users, Read moreOf of course, if you've been using Windows 7 for the past few years, you still have some new things to try out in the awesome, upcoming Windows 8. You can download the developer's preview now, and install it Run it in a virtual machine. It may not be ready to be your main operating system, but it's great to see how far it has come in terms of speed and features. Check out our Windows 8 in-depth guide, from the Subway interface (which isn't great without touching, not that desktop, Windows Explorer and a new task manager. While you're at it, you can check out some of the lesser known features of Windows 8, too. Want to know Windows 8, but you don't have time to sit out the three-hour keynote report? We cut out... Read moreOnce you have everything up and running, be sure to check out our Lifehacker Pack for Windows and Windows App Catalog for a ton of cool programs. If you've just reinstalled Windows or you need to fill some holes in your software collection, read more Mac OS XIf you haven't used Computers since the 80s, now is a good time to take another look. If your desktop or laptop is compatible, you can turn your computer into a hackintosh. They are tough, but with a bit of troubleshooting, you should have no problem getting it up and running. You can also run OS X with a flash drive, or run it in VirtualBox on Windows. The latest version of OS X has some pretty cool features both secret and obvious., especially after you've de- iOSified it (although you can get a lot of these features into the snow leopard if you're not a lion fan). Dear Lifehacker, I have Sorny Inspironbookmate 2564300iP00. Can I make Hackintosh? But seriously, read moreOnce you have everything up and running, be sure to check out our Lifehacker Pack for Mac and Mac App catalog for a ton of cool apps. Looking for some great, free apps to enhance your Mac? We have you covered by our annual ... Reading moreLinuxWorking with Linux is a hefty venture, but we tried to make it easy with our night school course to get started with Linux. Of course, if you've used Linux before, you can always try a new distribution like the super-customizable Arch Linux (my personal favorite) in netbook friendly Lubuntu or Archbang. Even if you've done your fair share of dystro-hopping, you can try out a new desktop environment instead, or even something a little more out of the box like Chrome OS. Programs like Lily make it easy, creating a versatile, go anywhere downloading flash drives, so you don't even need to install anything on your system. If you were meaning to try Linux but felt too overwhelmed, we have all the information you need... Read moreOnce you have everything up and running, be sure to check out our Lifehacker Pack for Linux and Mac App directory for a ton of cool programs. Check out our guide to getting cool desktop effects in Linux, too, while you're at it. Linux may not be the most popular OS around, but that doesn't mean we're going to sit here and... Read more: Double and triple downloadIf you like what you see and want to give your new OS a more permanent place on your hard drive without losing the old one, you double computer download. We've made guides on how to double or triple computer downloads with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, whether on Mac or hackintosh-compatible hackintosh-compatible You can also double download Windows 7 and Windows 8 side by side, or run all your OS at once using VirtualBox. Once you've set it all up, make sure you're able to share your data across all operating systems, too, for a super-seamless switch. Apple has simplified the process of double downloading Windows on your Mac, but when it comes to Linux,... More you've always wanted to try Linux but don't have a spare machine or don't care about double downloads of your main computer? Well, thanks to virtualization technology, you can easily install one operating system inside another on one machine.