Operating system kernel - very basic question!!

[RacybabeUK]

Have just bought a laptop that has XP installed and found an old magazine that tells me a little about XP. Might buy a book on it if it will help understand it more. My question is the magazine refers to "the real killer feature in XP is the one that you never see:the operating system kernel!. Forgive my ignorance but what is the operating system kernel???? It is not a term i have come across.

[Iman74]

It is the brain, the heart of the OS. It's what makes XP what it is.

[ktkendall]

I think of it as the core of the OS. Without it you would have no Operating System.

[RacybabeUK]

thanks for your replies - so it is programming code?

[ktkendall]

Originally posted by RacybabeUK thanks for your replies - so it is programming code?

Yes I do believe the kernel has to be written in code as does the rest of the OS.

[David_Jones]

From webopedia: KERNEL The central module of an operating system. It is the part of the operating system that loads first, and it remains in main memory. Because it stays in memory, it is important for the kernel to be as small as possible while still providing all the essential services required by other parts of the operating system and applications. Typically, the kernel is responsible for memory management, process and task management, and disk management.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/k/kernel.html

HTH,

David.

[RacybabeUK]

Yes that has answered my question - sorry it was such a basic one

[RacybabeUK]

p.s and thanks to everyone who answered