What an operating system does
Imagine a school. The principal does not teach every lesson, but organises everything: which class uses which room, where the books are stored, when the printing office works, and who needs special help. The operating system, or OS, does this for a computer. It manages the memory, which is like the classrooms where work is happening. It manages the drives, which are like the storerooms for files. It manages devices such as printers. It also includes accessibility tools, such as a screen reader or a magnifier, for users who need them. It starts other programs and lets you talk to the computer easily, with icons and menus. Most computers come with an operating system already installed, so you can use them as soon as you buy them. Phones and tablets have a mobile operating system, which is built for touch screens and batteries. Without an operating system, a computer is like a school with no principal and no timetable.
| In a school | In a computer | Job |
|---|---|---|
| principal | operating system | manages everything |
| classrooms | memory | where work happens now |
| storerooms | drives | keep files for a long time |
| printing office | printer | managed by the OS |
| helper for a pupil who needs it | screen reader, magnifier | included in the OS |
School picture. Draw your school and label four places with the matching computer part: principal’s office (operating system), classrooms (memory), storeroom (drive), printing room (printer). Add an arrow from the principal’s office to each place.