Operating Systems

by Stephen Fluin 2005.05.02
Vast amounts of data and information go whizzing through the air all around us, millions of miles of cable and wiring surround us every day. None of these wonderful things could be possible without the modern operating system. For this reason, the modern operating system has had the most impact on the world. Computers are used in every facet of modern life and have an impact reaching every person on the entire planet. People entertain themselves with computers, they inform themselves with computers, and they even connect with each other using computers. Even our global economy is now based on the infastructure provided by computers. The only way that this has become possible has been the operating system. Operating systems such as Windows, Unix, Solaris, BSD, PalmOS, and numerous others have enabled people with little to-no technological eduation make use of these wonderful machines. This has made the manufacture of hardware and software profitable, enabling a world dominated by computers to be viable. Based on the massive advancements and improvements that could not have happened without operating systems, I declare that the operating system has had the largest impact of any invention in the last 50 years.