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  • Hitchhiker's Guide to Privacy Engineering
    • โ“What is HGPE?
      • โš–๏ธWho is this for?
      • ๐Ÿง™โ€โ™‚๏ธPrivacy Engineering
      • ๐ŸŽจCreative Privacy
      • ๐Ÿ”ฎGenerative AI
      • ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ’ปAbout the Author
  • ๐Ÿง™โ€โ™‚๏ธThe Ethical AI Governance Playbook 2025 Edition
    • ๐Ÿค–Chapter 1 : AI Literacy
    • ๐ŸŒChapter 2 : AI Governance in the 21st Century
    • โŒ›Chapter 3 - Getting Started with AI Act Compliance
    • ๐Ÿš€Chapter 4 : Rise of AI Governance: Building Ethical & Compliant AI
    • Chapter 5 : Introduction to the Lifecycle of AI
  • ๐ŸŽ“Privacy Engineering Field Guide Season 1
    • โ“Decoding the Digital World: Exploring Everyday Technology
    • ๐Ÿ‘๏ธIntroduction: Why Privacy Matters?
      • Age of Mass Surveillance
      • Privacy & Democracy
      • Privacy & Government Surveillance
    • โšกChapter 1 : How Computers Work?
      • Electricity
      • Bits
      • Logic Gates
      • Central Processing Unit (CPU)
      • Graphic Processing Unit (GPU)
      • Motherboard
      • Data Storage
      • Databases
      • Operating System (OS)
      • Computer Code
      • Programming Languages
      • The File System
      • Bugs and Errors
      • Computer Virus
      • Internet of Things (IoT)
      • Cloud Computing
    • ๐Ÿ›ฐ๏ธChapter 2 : How the internet works?
      • Physical Infrastructure
      • Network and Protocols
      • Switch
      • Routers
      • IP Address
      • Domain Name System (DNS)
      • Mac Address
      • TCP / IP
      • OSI Model
      • Packets
      • The Client - Server Architecture
      • Secure Socket Shell (SSH)
      • Transport Layer Security (TLS)
      • Firewall
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      • Proxy Server
    • ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธChapter 3 : How Websites Work?
      • HTML
      • CSS
      • Javascript
      • Web Server
      • Browser
      • HTTP
      • Databases
      • Front End (Client Side)
      • Back End (Server Side)
      • Cookies
      • Local Storage
      • Session Storage
      • IndexedDB
      • XHR Requests
      • Web APIs
      • Webhooks
      • Email Server
      • HTTPS
      • Web Application Firewall
      • Single Sign-on (SS0)
      • OAuth 2.0
      • Pixels
      • Canvas Fingerprinting
      • Email Tracking
      • Containers
      • CI/CD
      • Kubernetes
      • Serverless Architecture
    • โš›๏ธChapter 4 : How Quantum Computers Work?
      • Quantum Properties
      • Quantum Bits (Qubits)
      • Decoherence
      • Quantum Circuits
      • Quantum Algorithms
      • Quantum Sensing
      • Post-Quantum Cryptography
    • ๐Ÿ“ณChapter 5 : Mobile Apps and Privacy
      • Battery
      • Processor
      • Mobile Operating Systems
      • Mobile Data Storage
      • Cellular Data
      • Mobile Device Sensors
      • Wireless Connectivity
      • Camera & Microphone
      • Mobile Apps
      • Software Development Kits (SDKs)
      • Mobile Device Identifiers
      • Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
  • ๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™‚๏ธPrivacy Engineering Field Guide Season 2
    • โ“Introduction to Privacy Engineering for Non-Techs
      • ๐ŸŽญChapter 1 : Digital Identities
        • What is identity?
        • Authentication Flows
        • Authentication vs. Authorization
        • OAuth 2.0
        • OpenID Connect (OIDC)
        • Self Sovereign Identities
        • Decentralized Identifiers
        • eIDAS
      • ๐Ÿ‘๏ธโ€๐Ÿ—จ๏ธChapter 2 : De-Identification
        • Introduction to De-Identification?
        • Input / Output Privacy
        • De-identification Strategies
        • K-Anonymity
        • Differential Privacy
        • Privacy Threat Modeling
  • ๐Ÿ“–HGPE Story and Lore
    • ๐ŸชฆChapter 1 : The Prologue
    • โ˜„๏ธChapter 2 : Battle for Earth
    • ๐Ÿฆ Chapter 3 : A Nightmare To Remember
    • ๐Ÿง™โ€โ™‚๏ธChapter 4 : The Academy
    • ๐ŸŒƒChapter 5: The Approaching Darkness
    • โš”๏ธChapter 6 : The Invasion
    • ๐ŸฐChapter 7 : The Fall of the Academy
    • ๐Ÿ›ฉ๏ธChapter 8 : The Escape
    • ๐ŸชChapter 9 : The Moon Cave
    • ๐Ÿฆ‡Chapter 10: Queen of Darkness
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    • ๐ŸŽฎData Privacy Day'23 / Privacy Treasure Hunt Game
    • ๐ŸงฉPrivacy Quest
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On this page
  • What is an Operating System?
  • History of Operating Systems
  • Open Source
  • Linus Torvalds
  • How does it work?
  • What are the categories of operating systems?
  • Operating System and Privacy

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  1. Privacy Engineering Field Guide Season 1
  2. Chapter 1 : How Computers Work?

Operating System (OS)

The OS is basically a loop of instructions that asks deals with inputs and outputs millions of times per second.

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Last updated 2 years ago

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What is an Operating System?

The operating system is like the captain of a spaceship, the master of all that sails on the sea of technology. It is the software that runs beneath the surface, controlling all the functions of our computers and mobile devices.

The operating system is a remarkable creature, like a symphony conductor, directing the flow of information between hardware and software, ensuring that everything works together in perfect harmony.

History of Operating Systems

The history of operating systems is a long and complex one, but when it comes to the emergence of Linux and Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), there are a few key moments that stand out.

In the early days of computing, most operating systems were proprietary, meaning that they were owned and controlled by companies that tightly controlled their development and distribution. This meant that users had to pay significant amounts of money to access and use these operating systems.

Open Source

However, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a new operating system called Unix was created. Unix was unique in that it was designed to be open and flexible, with its source code available for anyone to modify and improve upon.

This openness eventually led to the creation of a number of Unix variants, including one called GNU (which stands for "GNU's Not Unix"). The GNU project aimed to create a completely free and open-source operating system that would be accessible to anyone.

However, while the GNU project made significant progress, they were missing one key piece of the puzzle: a kernel, which is the core component of an operating system. This is where Linux comes in.

Linus Torvalds

In 1991, a Finnish student named Linus Torvalds created a new kernel that he called "Linux". Like Unix and GNU before it, Linux was open and flexible, with its source code available for anyone to modify and improve upon.

Over time, Linux grew in popularity and became the basis for a number of different operating systems, including Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian. These operating systems were completely free and open source, which meant that anyone could use, modify, and redistribute them without restriction.

Today, Linux and other FOSS operating systems have become an essential part of the technology landscape, powering everything from servers and supercomputers to smartphones and smart home devices. And while there are still proprietary operating systems out there, the popularity and success of Linux and FOSS have helped to democratize computing and make technology more accessible to everyone.

How does it work?

An Operating System (OS) is an interface between a computer user and computer hardware. Its first job is to get the computer up and running when you first turn the computer on.

The OS is basically a loop of instructions that asks deals with inputs and outputs millions of times per second.

OS is also responsible for starting and ending programs. It guides the programs like a maestro and switches between the programs in RAM.

What are the categories of operating systems?

My dear friend, there are several categories of operating systems that exist today, each with its own unique features and capabilities. Here are some of the most common categories:

Desktop operating systems: These are operating systems that are designed to run on personal computers and workstations, and are typically used for tasks like web browsing, email, and productivity software. Examples of desktop operating systems include Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, and Linux.

Server operating systems: These are operating systems that are designed to run on servers, which are powerful computers that are used to host websites, databases, and other applications. Examples of server operating systems include Microsoft Windows Server, Linux server distributions, and FreeBSD

Mobile operating systems: These are operating systems that are designed to run on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, and are optimized for touch-based interfaces and mobility. Examples of mobile operating systems include Android, iOS, and Windows 10 Mobile.

Cloud operating systems: These are operating systems that are designed to run in cloud environments, which are virtualized computing environments that can be accessed over the internet. Cloud operating systems are used to power cloud-based services like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

These are just a few of the categories of operating systems that exist today, and new categories are emerging all the time as technology continues to evolve and change.

Operating System and Privacy

Due to Apple's control over both hardware and software, neural engine processing is available on all Apple Silicon devices.

This means that more recommendations and voice requests are processed on the device, leading to a significant reduction in the number of recordings uploaded to the cloud.

With the release of Apple's IOS 14.5 update, a new feature was introduced which requires apps to seek user permission before tracking them. This change has major implications for companies, such as Facebook, that rely on personalized ads that collect users' data.

While Facebook criticized this feature as an abuse of power by Apple, the truth is that the company is concerned about the potential loss of revenue. Fortunately, users now have a choice, and some prefer apps not to track them.

It's important to note that no operating system is 100% private or secure, but Linux stands out as the most secure one with the best privacy tools. Linux offers several distros with strong encryption and other advanced security features for tech-savvy users. Tails is one of the most popular Linux distributions, as it was even used by Edward Snowden for his privacy needs.

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Shadow matter slows the decay of the flesh. Lilith used these paranormal shadow matter cells to change and restructure the genetic information of captured humans. Augmenting them with cybernetics before unleashing them to inflict doom upon the Earth. Ever hungry, Dark Shadow turns the body against itself, corrupting the brain cell. Gathers the corpses to get a bite of fleshโ€ฆ Howling at the sky. - Journals of Order of Epoch, 2342
Shadow Matter is a self-propagating force and is not fully understood, but is a paranatural phenomenon that demonstrates shape-shifting capabilities. - Anatomy of a Cyborg, Doctor Talia 2234
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