2.1. The Core Operating System: The Kernel

The term operating system is commonly used with two different meanings:

• To denote the entire package consisting of the central software managing a computer’s resources and all of the accompanying standard software tools, such as command-line interpreters, graphical user interfaces, file utilities, and editors.

• More narrowly, to refer to the central software that manages and allocates computer resources (i.e., the CPU, RAM, and devices).