Did you know that you and your computer speak different languages? It doesn’t speak Spanish,
or Swedish, or Chinese; it speaks in ones and zeroes. You can’t communicate directly
with your computer; that’s where your operating system comes in. The operating system is the
program that lets you interact with your computer. Together, the operating system and
computer hardware form a complete system that determines what your computer can do. There
are many different operating systems. Two of the most common ones are Microsoft Windows
and Mac OS X. Windows comes preloaded on most personal computers; Mac OS X runs on all new
Macs. Operating Systems aren’t just for computers and laptops, though. Mobile devices
run mobile operating systems like Apple iOS or Google Android. Operating systems for mobile
devices are designed for interactions with smaller touch-screens. Before downloading
new software, or applications, to your computer or mobile device, you should check to see
if the application is compatible with your operating system. Some applications work on
all operating systems, but others only work on certain ones. So, get to know your operating
system to see how it works and what it can do.