On Mon, Feb 09, 2004 at 02:16:02PM -0700, Jan L. Peterson wrote: > > An operating system (sometimes abbreviated as "OS") is the program > > that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a boot > > program, manages all the other programs in a computer. The other > > programs are called applications or application programs. The > > application programs make use of the operating system by making > > requests for services through a defined application program interface > > (API). In addition, users can interact directly with the operating > > system through a user interface such as a command language or a > > graphical user interface (GUI). > > I'm not trying to split hairs with you, but I believe that this > definition is trying to describe an "operating system" like DOS. > > I would find it hard to call "init" an "application" that users > interact with. It isn't part of the kernel, but it's definitely an > integral part of the operating system. In the VMS world, DCL is part > of the OS (and don't try to tell DEC, I mean Compaq, I mean HP any > different). > > When I think about an operating system, I'm thinking about that base > level of functionality required to make the system usable. Note that > doesn't include, e.g., X, KDE, Gnome, Apache, etc. It does include the > contents of /bin, /sbin, /lib, /usr/bin, /usr/sbin, and /usr/lib.
What about /lib/modules? Justin ____________________ BYU Unix Users Group http://uug.byu.edu/ ___________________________________________________________________ List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list
