Episode 38: The OS

It’s a fair question. After all, there are many – often within the same home or office. The Operating System (or OS for short) is the graphical interface that you log into, navigate, and access additional programs through. If the Hard Drive is the physical brain of your computer, the operating system is its internal processes. It allows programs to interact, hardware to function, and information to be gathered, utilized, and visualized.

(It’s also allows non-programmers to navigate a computer. Be grateful that we’re past the MS-DOS days, when everything was accessed using hand-typed commands!)

There are many different operating systems out there, but it’s likely you’re using one of the following:

Windows XP *
Released in 2001, with its final release in 2008.
If you have a computer that was purchased between that timeframe, there’s a small chance you have Windows XP. Microsoft no longer supports this one and most programs don’t either, so you may want to consider getting a new computer. (Or a really good antivirus. **)

Windows Vista *
Released in 2006, with its final release in 2009
There’s a theory in the tech-hero world that Windows has a hit (or misses) every other operating system. Vista was a miss. Support for it ended in 2017, so like with XP, you may want to consider getting a new computer. (Or a really good antivirus. **)

Windows 7 *
Released in 2009, with its final release in 2011
Windows 7 was once the most popular Operating System in the world. Many companies and computer users are still on it, as it one of Windows’ more stable OS’s.

Windows 8 *
Released in 2012. Subscription-based.
This OS was another that Microsoft would rather forget. It was released to accommodate both tablets and computers, but they forgot one rather important item: The Start Button. (You know, that little button on the bottom left-hand side that lets you see a menu of important links and programs?) It’s still a common Operating System, but there was a rather big push to upgrade people to…

Windows 10 *
Released in 2015. Subscription-based.
If you’ve purchased a computer in the last few years, there’s a good chance it has Windows 10. The start button (see above) has returned and tablet mode is no longer the default, so the operating system would feel familiar. (If you’ve ever used an older version of Windows.)

Mac OSX
Initial release in 2001
Apple/Mac computers are completely different from Windows computers. (They’re like apples and windows, really.) Every Apple machine has Mac OSX, but the version depends on how new (and up to date) your machine is. You can find out the version by clicking on the apple icon at the top Left hand corner of your screen and clicking “About This Mac.”

Hint: There’s a good chance the name will contain a wild cat, desert, or mountain range.

Linux
The only way you’d have a Linux OS is if a tech-hero took over your computer and installed it for you. This one doesn’t come standard on machines when you purchase them from a company or store.

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* If you need help identifying your operating system, click the Start Button, right click on the word “Computer”, and select “Properties”. The name will be under the “Windows Edition.”

**I can’t promise that a good Antivirus will protect you from an unsupported Operating system. Continue using at your own risk.