Operating environment
Encyclopedia
The operating environment
in engineering
describes the circumstances surrounding and potentially affecting something that is operating. For example electronic or mechanical equipment may be affected by high temperatures, vibration, dust, and other parameters which comprise the operating environment.
with which users interact, comprising the "look and feel
" of the system, its appearance and the things that have to be done to achieve desired results. The term may also apply to system software
; e.g., software designed for a Unix
environment will do things differently than in a Microsoft Windows
environment. Some operating environments for programming purposes are referred as programming environments; e.g., the "UNIX programming environment" for a Unix shell
with its look and feel and functionality.
"Operating environment" is not the totality of the functionality and appearance of an operating system
.
s which tell processes about such matters as where the particular computer system expects temporary files to be stored, i.e., some details of the operating environment.
Operating environment
The operating environment in engineering describes the circumstances surrounding and potentially affecting something that is operating. For example electronic or mechanical equipment may be affected by high temperatures, vibration, dust, and other parameters which comprise the operating...
in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
describes the circumstances surrounding and potentially affecting something that is operating. For example electronic or mechanical equipment may be affected by high temperatures, vibration, dust, and other parameters which comprise the operating environment.
Computing
In a computer the operating environment includes temperature and so on affecting circuitry; but in particular the term is often used to describe the non-physical environment in which software runs. This may apply to application softwareApplication software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
with which users interact, comprising the "look and feel
Look and feel
In software design, look and feel is a term used in respect of a graphical user interface and comprises aspects of its design, including elements such as colors, shapes, layout, and typefaces , as well as the behavior of dynamic elements such as buttons, boxes, and menus...
" of the system, its appearance and the things that have to be done to achieve desired results. The term may also apply to system software
System software
System software is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware and to provide a platform for running application software.The most basic types of system software are:...
; e.g., software designed for a Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
environment will do things differently than in a Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
environment. Some operating environments for programming purposes are referred as programming environments; e.g., the "UNIX programming environment" for a Unix shell
Unix shell
A Unix shell is a command-line interpreter or shell that provides a traditional user interface for the Unix operating system and for Unix-like systems...
with its look and feel and functionality.
"Operating environment" is not the totality of the functionality and appearance of an operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
.
"The environment" and environment variables
Some operating systems have an area of memory called "the environment" which can contain environment variableEnvironment variable
Environment variables are a set of dynamic named values that can affect the way running processes will behave on a computer.They can be said in some sense to create the operating environment in which a process runs...
s which tell processes about such matters as where the particular computer system expects temporary files to be stored, i.e., some details of the operating environment.
See also (computing)
- Operating systemOperating systemAn operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
- MS-DOSMS-DOSMS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
and its various versions - Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and its various versions - UnixUnixUnix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
and its various versions
- MS-DOS
- Desktop environmentDesktop environmentIn graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
, the graphical user interface to the computer - Environment variableEnvironment variableEnvironment variables are a set of dynamic named values that can affect the way running processes will behave on a computer.They can be said in some sense to create the operating environment in which a process runs...
- Integrated development environmentIntegrated development environmentAn integrated development environment is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development...
, a type of computer software that assists computer programmers in developing software - Runtime environment, a virtual machine state which provides software services for processes or programs while a computer is running