An Introduction to Operating Systems

Structured in four parts-Operating Systems (OS) Concepts, Practice, Overview of Contemporary OS, and Projects-this fourth edition provides a practical view of contemporary OS, covering different design considerations and patterns of use. The section on Concepts covers fundamental principles, such as file systems, process management, memory management, input-output, resource sharing, Inter-process Communication (IPC), distributed computing, OS security, real-time and micro-kernel design.

This new edition also comes with a revised section on Practice to make the book compatible with Linux. The coverage of Linux, Windows Vista, VxWorks and OS for mobile/handheld devices, such as Android, keeps the book up-to-date with contemporary OS. The chapter on OS security has also been revised.

The book is intended to the students of computer science/engineering, computer applications and information technology. Knowledge of operating systems is also essential for the IT practitioners, so this book caters to the needs of those who might not have had a formal computer science/engineering education or training.