An operating system (OS) is low-level software that enables users and application programs to interact with a computer's hardware and data. An OS performs basic tasks like input/output processing and managing files and directories. It provides an environment for program execution, handles input/output operations, and enables communication between processes. Application programs run on top of the OS platform. Different OSes determine what applications can be run and provide different commands. Early OSes like UNIX were multi-tasking and multi-user, allowing time sharing between users. Common OS types include Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and DOS.
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