System View:
The system view of an operating system refers to the way the operating system is perceived and understood by different users and stakeholders involved in computing. There are typically three main perspectives on an operating system's system view:
1. User view: This view considers the operating system from the perspective of an end-user. The primary concern here is how the operating system presents itself to the user through its interface, commands, and interaction capabilities.
2. System engineer's view: System engineers and developers focus on the internal design and workings of the operating system. They are concerned with its architecture, components, algorithms, and resource management strategies.
3. Application developer's view: Application developers see the operating system as a platform on which they create and execute their programs. Their focus lies on the application programming interface (API) provided by the operating system and its support for various programming languages and development tools.
Users of the Operating System:
An operating system serves a diverse range of users with different needs and purposes. Here are some of the primary users of an operating system:
1. End-users (or general users): This category includes non-technical individuals who use computers for basic tasks such as browsing the internet, processing documents, playing games, etc. Operating systems cater to these users by providing easy-to-use graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and simplifying common operations.
2. Power users: These are experienced computer users who require more advanced features and functionalities from the operating system. Power users can be graphic designers, programmers, engineers, IT professionals, gamers, and researchers who push the capabilities of computer systems to perform more complex tasks.
3. System administrators: Also known as sysadmins, system administrators are responsible for managing, maintaining, and securing the operating system, including user accounts, resource allocation, network configurations, software updates, and system performance optimizations.
4. Software developers: Developers use the operating system's software development environment, application programming interfaces (APIs), tools, and libraries to create new software applications, web applications, and system utilities.
5. Embedded systems programmers: Operating systems for embedded systems (small, specialized computers in devices like smart home systems, vehicles, medical equipment, industrial machinery, etc.) are tailored to their unique hardware and requirements. Embedded systems programmers work with these specialized operating systems to develop software for these devices.
Understanding the different system views and user perspectives of an operating system is crucial for designing and developing efficient, user-friendly, and flexible operating systems that can cater to the diverse needs of various users.