Question

Explain multitasking

Answer 1

Multitasking, in an operating system, is allowing a user to perform more than one computer task (such as the operation of anapplication program) at a time. The operating system is able to keep track of where you are in these tasks and go from one to the other without losing information. MicrosoftWindows 2000, IBM's OS/390, and Linux are examples of operating systems that can do multitasking (almost all of today's operating systems can). When you open your Webbrowser and then open Word at the same time, you are causing the operating system to do multitasking.

Being able to do multitasking doesn't mean that an unlimited number of tasks can be juggled at the same time. Each task consumes system storage and other resources. As more tasks are started, the system may slow down or begin to run out of shared storage.

It is easy to confuse multitasking withmultithreading, a somewhat different idea.

Answer 2

Answer:

Operating System must be multitasking to make sure that we are able to run more than one program at a time such as internet browsing and word document can work out simultaneously.

It can support the preemptive multitasking or cooperative multitasking to help a user to perform multiple tasks at once.