An operating system is a software platform which enables the shared (multi-user/multi-program) usage of the hardware resources inside a computing machine. The OS tries to provide sharing in an "isolated", "secure", and "efficient" manner. The OS has been along all the way since the infancy of the digital computers (in the form of dinosauric mainframes) to the era of work-stations and PCs, and modern miniature computers in the tablets, cell phones and so on. Although, the OS technology has evolved, the main principles are general enough such that they have remained almost intact and independent of changes in the hardware technologies. These "main principles" are the answers to the general questions such as:
As soon as possible: Install ubuntu, play with shell (ls, cd, rm, cp, cd, ...), choose an editor (emacs, gedit, ...), write C codes, compile with gcc, and automate with make (you can start with Lab Tutorial)
Video of lectures will be provided prior to the class and an interactive discussion session based on the lecture videos will be held every week during class hours.
Operating systems: Three easy pieces, by Remzi H. Arpaci-Dusseau and Andrea C. Arpaci-Dusseau, Arpaci-Dusseau Books, 2018