Question

Which of the following best suits an operating system?

• A. Resource utilizer
• B. Workstation
• C. Resource allocator
• D. Application program

Hint:

Two important views of an Operating System:
• Resource Allocator
• Control Program These are among the most frequently asked OS concepts in competitive examinations.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept: An Operating System (OS) acts as an interface between the user and computer hardware. Its primary purpose is to manage and allocate system resources efficiently. Resources managed by the OS include:
• CPU time
• Memory
• Input/Output devices
• Files
• Secondary storage

Step 1: Understand resource allocation.
Many programs may request system resources simultaneously. The operating system decides:
• Which process gets CPU time.
• Which process gets memory.
• Which process accesses I/O devices. Hence it acts as a resource allocator.

Step 2: Analyze Option (A).
Resource utilization is a result of operating system management, but it is not the best definition of an OS. \[ \text{Not the best choice} \]

Step 3: Analyze Option (B).
A workstation is a type of computer system. It is not an operating system. \[ \text{Incorrect} \]

Step 4: Analyze Option (D).
Application programs run on top of the operating system. An operating system itself is not an application program. \[ \text{Incorrect} \]

Step 5: Identify the best description.
The operating system allocates hardware and software resources among competing users and applications. Therefore, \[ \boxed{\text{Resource Allocator}} \] Hence option (C) is correct.