If we take out the kernel, what is left of the OS? [closed]
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
The following are some of the tasks that a kernel is responsible for:
- Launching a program (creating a process)
- Handling interrupts
- Context switching
- Protect the processes from interfering with each other (by using
virtual memory) - Inter-process communication mechanisms
- Accessing IO devices
- etc.
If the above is what a kernel is responsible for, then what is left to the OS? I mean the only thing that is left that I can think of are the application software (for example: bash, ls, gedit, Firefox, etc.).
But can we really consider application software to be part of the OS? and if we can, then is it only the application software that comes with the OS that are considered part of the OS? what if we installed an application software later, will that application software not be considered part of the OS?
linux
asked Mar 4 at 18:57
user339981user339981
9
closed as unclear what you're asking by Rui F Ribeiro, mosvy, Michael Homer, Olorin, Thomas Mar 5 at 7:34
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
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The following are some of the tasks that a kernel is responsible for:
- Launching a program (creating a process)
- Handling interrupts
- Context switching
- Protect the processes from interfering with each other (by using
virtual memory) - Inter-process communication mechanisms
- Accessing IO devices
- etc.
If the above is what a kernel is responsible for, then what is left to the OS? I mean the only thing that is left that I can think of are the application software (for example: bash, ls, gedit, Firefox, etc.).
But can we really consider application software to be part of the OS? and if we can, then is it only the application software that comes with the OS that are considered part of the OS? what if we installed an application software later, will that application software not be considered part of the OS?
linux
asked Mar 4 at 18:57
user339981user339981
9
closed as unclear what you're asking by Rui F Ribeiro, mosvy, Michael Homer, Olorin, Thomas Mar 5 at 7:34
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
The following are some of the tasks that a kernel is responsible for:
- Launching a program (creating a process)
- Handling interrupts
- Context switching
- Protect the processes from interfering with each other (by using
virtual memory) - Inter-process communication mechanisms
- Accessing IO devices
- etc.
If the above is what a kernel is responsible for, then what is left to the OS? I mean the only thing that is left that I can think of are the application software (for example: bash, ls, gedit, Firefox, etc.).
But can we really consider application software to be part of the OS? and if we can, then is it only the application software that comes with the OS that are considered part of the OS? what if we installed an application software later, will that application software not be considered part of the OS?
linux
asked Mar 4 at 18:57
user339981user339981
9
The following are some of the tasks that a kernel is responsible for:
- Launching a program (creating a process)
- Handling interrupts
- Context switching
- Protect the processes from interfering with each other (by using
virtual memory) - Inter-process communication mechanisms
- Accessing IO devices
- etc.
If the above is what a kernel is responsible for, then what is left to the OS? I mean the only thing that is left that I can think of are the application software (for example: bash, ls, gedit, Firefox, etc.).
But can we really consider application software to be part of the OS? and if we can, then is it only the application software that comes with the OS that are considered part of the OS? what if we installed an application software later, will that application software not be considered part of the OS?
linux
linux
asked Mar 4 at 18:57
user339981user339981
9
asked Mar 4 at 18:57
user339981user339981
9
asked Mar 4 at 18:57
user339981user339981
9
asked Mar 4 at 18:57
user339981user339981
9
asked Mar 4 at 18:57
user339981user339981
9
9
closed as unclear what you're asking by Rui F Ribeiro, mosvy, Michael Homer, Olorin, Thomas Mar 5 at 7:34
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
closed as unclear what you're asking by Rui F Ribeiro, mosvy, Michael Homer, Olorin, Thomas Mar 5 at 7:34
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
"To explain what Linux is, you have to explain what an operating
system is. And think about an operating system, I mean, you’re
never-ever supposed to see it; because nobody really uses an operating
system; people use programs on their computers and the only mission in
life for an operating system is to help those programs run. So, an
operating system never does anything on its own, it’s only waiting for
the programs to ask for certain resources or ask for certain files on
the disk, or ask for programs to connect them to the outside world.
And then the operating system steps in and tries to make it easy for people to write programs."
Linus Torvalds, in Revolution OS
And he's right - people use Applications, not operating systems. Was able to switch back and forth between OS X and Linux on the desktop fairly painlessly once I learned how do deal with the OS X Desktop and opening/closing applications. Firefox, Chrome, and a bash shell don't change much....
One of the reasons I've been able to switch many non-technical users to Linux. Install a nice desktop (I like Mint w/ MATE) so it looks somewhat familiar (menu button ,etc) set up the favorites so they can get to Chrome/Firefox, Thunderbird if needed, a calculator, OpenOffice, etc. and they are as happy as a clam, never knowing or caring about having Linux and not Windows, etc.
answered Mar 4 at 19:50
ivanivanivanivan
3,7021414
add a comment |
The shell, of course.
Remember the nut metaphor, and remember that it is a metaphor.
answered Mar 4 at 23:25
JdeBPJdeBP
37.6k478182
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
"To explain what Linux is, you have to explain what an operating
system is. And think about an operating system, I mean, you’re
never-ever supposed to see it; because nobody really uses an operating
system; people use programs on their computers and the only mission in
life for an operating system is to help those programs run. So, an
operating system never does anything on its own, it’s only waiting for
the programs to ask for certain resources or ask for certain files on
the disk, or ask for programs to connect them to the outside world.
And then the operating system steps in and tries to make it easy for people to write programs."
Linus Torvalds, in Revolution OS
And he's right - people use Applications, not operating systems. Was able to switch back and forth between OS X and Linux on the desktop fairly painlessly once I learned how do deal with the OS X Desktop and opening/closing applications. Firefox, Chrome, and a bash shell don't change much....
One of the reasons I've been able to switch many non-technical users to Linux. Install a nice desktop (I like Mint w/ MATE) so it looks somewhat familiar (menu button ,etc) set up the favorites so they can get to Chrome/Firefox, Thunderbird if needed, a calculator, OpenOffice, etc. and they are as happy as a clam, never knowing or caring about having Linux and not Windows, etc.
answered Mar 4 at 19:50
ivanivanivanivan
3,7021414
add a comment |
"To explain what Linux is, you have to explain what an operating
system is. And think about an operating system, I mean, you’re
never-ever supposed to see it; because nobody really uses an operating
system; people use programs on their computers and the only mission in
life for an operating system is to help those programs run. So, an
operating system never does anything on its own, it’s only waiting for
the programs to ask for certain resources or ask for certain files on
the disk, or ask for programs to connect them to the outside world.
And then the operating system steps in and tries to make it easy for people to write programs."
Linus Torvalds, in Revolution OS
And he's right - people use Applications, not operating systems. Was able to switch back and forth between OS X and Linux on the desktop fairly painlessly once I learned how do deal with the OS X Desktop and opening/closing applications. Firefox, Chrome, and a bash shell don't change much....
One of the reasons I've been able to switch many non-technical users to Linux. Install a nice desktop (I like Mint w/ MATE) so it looks somewhat familiar (menu button ,etc) set up the favorites so they can get to Chrome/Firefox, Thunderbird if needed, a calculator, OpenOffice, etc. and they are as happy as a clam, never knowing or caring about having Linux and not Windows, etc.
answered Mar 4 at 19:50
ivanivanivanivan
3,7021414
add a comment |
"To explain what Linux is, you have to explain what an operating
system is. And think about an operating system, I mean, you’re
never-ever supposed to see it; because nobody really uses an operating
system; people use programs on their computers and the only mission in
life for an operating system is to help those programs run. So, an
operating system never does anything on its own, it’s only waiting for
the programs to ask for certain resources or ask for certain files on
the disk, or ask for programs to connect them to the outside world.
And then the operating system steps in and tries to make it easy for people to write programs."
Linus Torvalds, in Revolution OS
And he's right - people use Applications, not operating systems. Was able to switch back and forth between OS X and Linux on the desktop fairly painlessly once I learned how do deal with the OS X Desktop and opening/closing applications. Firefox, Chrome, and a bash shell don't change much....
One of the reasons I've been able to switch many non-technical users to Linux. Install a nice desktop (I like Mint w/ MATE) so it looks somewhat familiar (menu button ,etc) set up the favorites so they can get to Chrome/Firefox, Thunderbird if needed, a calculator, OpenOffice, etc. and they are as happy as a clam, never knowing or caring about having Linux and not Windows, etc.
answered Mar 4 at 19:50
ivanivanivanivan
3,7021414
"To explain what Linux is, you have to explain what an operating
system is. And think about an operating system, I mean, you’re
never-ever supposed to see it; because nobody really uses an operating
system; people use programs on their computers and the only mission in
life for an operating system is to help those programs run. So, an
operating system never does anything on its own, it’s only waiting for
the programs to ask for certain resources or ask for certain files on
the disk, or ask for programs to connect them to the outside world.
And then the operating system steps in and tries to make it easy for people to write programs."
Linus Torvalds, in Revolution OS
And he's right - people use Applications, not operating systems. Was able to switch back and forth between OS X and Linux on the desktop fairly painlessly once I learned how do deal with the OS X Desktop and opening/closing applications. Firefox, Chrome, and a bash shell don't change much....
One of the reasons I've been able to switch many non-technical users to Linux. Install a nice desktop (I like Mint w/ MATE) so it looks somewhat familiar (menu button ,etc) set up the favorites so they can get to Chrome/Firefox, Thunderbird if needed, a calculator, OpenOffice, etc. and they are as happy as a clam, never knowing or caring about having Linux and not Windows, etc.
answered Mar 4 at 19:50
ivanivanivanivan
3,7021414
answered Mar 4 at 19:50
ivanivanivanivan
3,7021414
answered Mar 4 at 19:50
ivanivanivanivan
3,7021414
answered Mar 4 at 19:50
ivanivanivanivan
3,7021414
3,7021414
add a comment |
add a comment |
The shell, of course.
Remember the nut metaphor, and remember that it is a metaphor.
answered Mar 4 at 23:25
JdeBPJdeBP
37.6k478182
add a comment |
The shell, of course.
Remember the nut metaphor, and remember that it is a metaphor.
answered Mar 4 at 23:25
JdeBPJdeBP
37.6k478182
add a comment |
The shell, of course.
Remember the nut metaphor, and remember that it is a metaphor.
answered Mar 4 at 23:25
JdeBPJdeBP
37.6k478182
The shell, of course.
Remember the nut metaphor, and remember that it is a metaphor.
answered Mar 4 at 23:25
JdeBPJdeBP
37.6k478182
answered Mar 4 at 23:25
JdeBPJdeBP
37.6k478182
answered Mar 4 at 23:25
JdeBPJdeBP
37.6k478182
answered Mar 4 at 23:25
JdeBPJdeBP
37.6k478182
37.6k478182
add a comment |
add a comment |