Correct Answer - Option 2 : Multi-tasking
An Operating System (OS) is an interface between a computer user and computer hardware. An operating system is a software that performs all the basic tasks like file management, memory management, process management, handling input and output, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
The ability of an operating system to run more than one application at a time is called multitasking. A multitasking operating system (also called multiprocessing operating system) supports two or more active processes simultaneously.
- A multiprogramming operating system is an operating system which in addition to supporting multiple concurrent processes (several processes in execution states simultaneously) allows the instruction and data from two or more separate processes to reside in primary memory simultaneously.
- An effective multitasking environment must provide many services both to the user and to the application program it runs.
- The most important of these are resource management which divides the computers time, memory, and peripheral devices among competing tasks and interprocess communication, which lets tasking coordinate their activities by exchanging information
- Note that multiprogramming implies multiprocessing or multitasking operation, but multiprocessing operation (or multitasking rig) does not imply multiprogramming.
- Therefore, multitasking operation is one of the mechanisms that the multiprogramming operating system employs in managing the totality of computer-related resources like CPU, memory, and I/O devices.
- The simplest form of multitasking is called serial multitasking or context switching. This is nothing more than stopping one temporarily to work on another. If you have used sidekick, then you have used serial multitasking. While a program is running, you decide that you want to use the calculator, so you pop it and use it. When you stop using the calculator, the program continues running.
Therefore, The ability of an operating system to run more than one application at a time is called Multi-Tasking.
