• Unit 1: Introduction to Operating Systems

    We will begin this course with a high level introduction to Operating Systems (OS). The Operating System acts as a platform of information exchange between your computer's hardware and the applications running on it. Most people are familiar with the Windows Operating System family (like Windows 10, XP, or Vista) or Apple's suite of Operating Systems (like Catalina, Mojave, or Sierra), but for the purposes of this course, we will focus on UNIX: the open-source OS deployed all over the world in both personal and commercial systems. First, we will start with a discussion on some of the earliest Operating Systems, including those which are considered precursors to the Operating Systems that we are familiar with today. Then, we will review the general OS structure and give a basic functional overview. We will conclude this module with a discussion of the modern Operating Systems and devices that we are familiar with.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 19 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

      • explain what an operating system does and how it is used;
      • identify the various components of a computer system and how they interact with an operating system;
      • describe the differences between a 32-bit and 64-bit operating system; and
      • explain the different types of operating systems and the major systems in use today.