An operating system is made up of software
instructions that lie between the computer hardware (disks, memory, ports, and
so on) and the application programs (word processors, Web browsers,
spreadsheets, and so on). At the center is the kernel, which
provides the most basic computing functions (managing system memory, sharing the
processor, opening and closing devices, and so on). Besides the kernel, an
operating system provides other basic services needed to operate the computer,
including:
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File systems — The file system provides the structure in which information is stored on the computer. Information is stored in files, primarily on hard disks inside the computer. Files are organized within a hierarchy of directories. The Linux file system holds the data files that you save, the programs you run, and the configuration files that set up the system.
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Device drivers — These provide the interfaces to each of the hardware devices connected to your computer. A device driver enables a program to write to a device without needing to know details about how each piece of hardware is implemented. The program opens a device, sends and receives data, and closes a device.
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User interfaces — An operating system needs to provide a way for users to run programs and access the file system. Linux has both graphical and text-based user interfaces. GNOME and KDE provide graphical user interfaces, whereas shell command interpreters (such as bash) run programs by typing commands and options.
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System services — An operating system provides system services, many of which can be started automatically when the computer boots. In Linux, system services can include processes that mount file systems, start your network, and run scheduled tasks. In Linux, many services run continuously, enabling users to access printers, Web pages, files, databases, and other computing assets over a network.
