Multitasking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Multitasking - Essay Example This facility helped in improving efficiency1. With respect to computing, the term Multitasking refers to a process which facilitates undertaking of several tasks or processes at the same time, by enabling sharing of certain common processing resources such as the CPU for instance. Multitasking refers to the running of multiple independent computer programs on the same computer; giving the appearance that it is performing the tasks at the same time. The kernel of the operating system is responsible for that activity. In computing terms, kernel acts as a vital constituent of a majority of computer operating systems. Its key responsibilities include administering the operating systems resources, for instance, setting up and ensuring adequate interaction between the hardware as well as software components. One of the fundamental functions of the kernel includes administering the computer’s resources and permitting other programs to run and use these resources. Characteristically, the resources comprises of: the CPU (central processing unit), the memory of the system, as well as the I/O (Input / Output) devices. The multitasking characteristic entails the necessity to sustain simultaneous implementation of processes and to offer services for inter process communication and synchronization. Other less noticeable yet equally significant functions of the kernel comprises of management of interrupts and basic process scheduling. Furthermore, apart from the above listed functions, the kernel typically manages some ancillary actions essential for offering the services which are observable by the other Operating System layers. Examples of such internal kernel operations include system time-base management and processor allocation by means of basic process scheduling. Multitasking can be classified into two major forms: Cooperative multitasking and Preemptive Multitasking. In