A program that manages the computer hardware and provides a basis for application programs, acting as an intermediary between computer user and computer hardware
Computer system components
Computer hardware (CPU, memory, I/O devices)
Operating system
Application programs
Users
How a user uses an application without an operating system
1. User has to explicitly tell the computer hardware what to do for each task
2. Very tedious and difficult for the user
Role of operating system
Acts as an intermediary between the user and the computer hardware<|>Manages the computer hardware resources<|>Provides a basis for application programs
