Is Operating System an algorithm? One of my teacher said, it is a collection of algorithms and hence its an algorithm. But my other teacher said, it will not TERMINATE(characteristic of algorithm) by itself(we will have to shut it down) and hence its not an algorithm. So am confused... Is OS an algorithm or not?

Question

anonymous · Answer

$$ Its \ a\ giant\ algorithm$$

anonymous · Answer

it is a collection of programs.certainly an algorithm shud hav a start state and an end state.A start state in case of OS is when you switch on your computer and its execution starts.But once complete and u shut down system its the end of algorithm,The shut down state is the end state here.

anonymous · Answer

I would disagree with your prof. in that an algorithm is a sequence of structured instructions.  An algorithm does not need to work as an autonomous sequence.  One of the instructions in the algorithm could be to wait for user input.

anonymous · Answer

To be honest we cant define an operating system, i'm damn sure of that. Everyone can view the operating system in a different way. Operating system can be said as a resource allocator, or can we say its an interface between software and hardware. there are still many ways to give meaning to operating system. But we cant define it precisely. In a computer you have process manager, memory  manager, file manager, IO manager(in a simple computer) these are giant programs maintaining their own jobs and communicating between them. Collectively called as an Operating System. Hope u get me.....

anonymous · Answer

Refer Computer Algorithms by Horowitz, Sahni and Rajasekharan to find out what an algorithm is and how OS itself cannot be regarded as an algorithm. Also refer to The art of computer programming volume 1 by D.E. Knuth