Multitasking Operating System Types and its Benefits

Multitasking term used in a modern computer system. Multitasking is a logical extension of a multiprogramming system that supports multiple programs to run concurrently. In a multitasking operating system, more than one task is executed at the same time. In this technique, multiple tasks, also known as processes, share common processing resources such as a CPU.

Types of Multitasking Operating System:

There are two types of multitasking operating system

Cooperative Multitasking:
Windows and Mac OS used cooperative multitasking. A Windows program would do some small unit of work in response to a message and then relinquish the CPU to the operating system until the program got another message. That worked well, as long as all programs were written with consideration for other programs and had no bugs.

Preemptive Multitasking:

Desktop operating systems use preemptive multitasking. Unix used this form of multitasking from the beginning. Windows starting using preemptive multitasking with Windows NT and Windows 95. Macintosh gained preemptive multitasking with OS X. This type of operating system programs to tell them it’s time to give another program a turn with the CPU.

Multitasking Operating System Benefits:

In Multitasking Operating System, memory, hard drive, and virtual memory are better managed. Processor time is also well used as the wait time is less.

Suppose any user is downloading any file from the internet. Now he can do other tasks on the computer without waiting for the file to download completely.

One process cannot change data of another process in the main memory. Each process can only use his own space allocated.

If any program generates errors then other programs running on the computer are not affected by it. For example, if Google chrome crashes then your data in MS Word is not affected.

CMT can handle multiple users at a time. Every user can run their own programs independently of other users.

Multiple apps can run on smartphones and they use multitasking techniques.