The key difference between time sharing and real time operating system is that a time sharing operating system is a system that enables many users from different locations to use the system simultaneously while a real time operating system is a system that performs a certain task within a specified time constraint.
An operating system is an interface between the software and hardware. It performs tasks such as memory management, process management, file management and input-output device management. There are various types of operating systems. Two of them are time sharing and real time operating systems.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Time Sharing Operating System
3. What is Real Time Operating System
4. Side by Side Comparison – Time Sharing vs Real Time Operating System in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is Time Sharing Operating System?
In time sharing operating systems, many users from different locations can the use a particular computer system at the same time. In these systems, the processor’s time is shared among multiple users simultaneously. In these systems, multiple user programs are executed by the CPU. The processor executes each user program in small time quantum. These systems use CPU scheduling and multiprogramming to provide small time quantum to each user program. When the user gives a command, the system responds quickly.
Time Sharing Operating systems provide multiple advantages. It reduces the CPU waiting time. The users are able to get output within a short time because the response time is minimum. It also avoids software duplication. The security issues and problems for data communication are some limitations of a time-sharing operating system.
What is Real Time Operating System?
A real time system is a system that requires a minimum amount of time to process data and to respond to the inputs to perform the task. The correctness of the system output depends on the logical result of computation and the time to produce the result. It contains methods for real time scheduling tasks. There are two types of real time operating systems. They are hard real timeystems and soft real time systems .
Figure 01: Nuclear Power Plant
A hard-real time system should perform within the deadline. A single failure to meet the deadline is a complete or catastrophic system failure. Air Traffic Control systems, missiles and nuclear reactor control systems are some examples of hard real time systems. A soft real time system is less restrictive. The system should perform the task within the deadline but there can be a small tolerance. Missing the deadline is not considered as a total system failure but the performance is considered to be degraded. Multimedia streaming and virtual reality are some examples of soft real time systems.
What is the Difference Between Time Sharing and Real Time Operating System?
Time Sharing vs Real Time Operating System |
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| A time-sharing operating system is a system that enable many users at different locations to use a particular computer system at the same time. | A real time operating system is an operating system that performs a certain task within a specified time constraint. |
| Time | |
| A time-sharing system each user is given a small-time quantum. | A real time system operates under fixed time constraints. |
| Resource Sharing | |
| In time-sharing system, users can share the resources. | In real time system, the resources remain for a fixed amount of time for a process and can be reallocated to another process after that time. |
| Example System | |
| An online file system is an example of a time-sharing system. | An air traffic control system is an example of a real time operating system. |
Summary – Time Sharing vs Real Time Operating System
The difference between time sharing and real time operating system is that a time-sharing operating system is a system that enables many users from different locations to use the system simultaneously while a real time operating system is a system that performs a certain task within a specified time constraint.
Reference:
1.“What Is Real-Time Operating System (RTOS)? – Definition from WhatIs.com.” SearchDataCenter. Available here
2.“Types of Operating System.” Www.tutorialspoint.com, Tutorials Point, 8 Jan. 2018. Available here
Image Courtesy:
1.’Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant – Control Room of Unit 5’By Yovko Lambrev (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia