Time-sharing is a concept in operating systems that allows multiple users to simultaneously share the use of a single computer by dividing the computer's resources into small units of time, called "time slices," and allocating them to each user in a round-robin fashion. This allows each user to interact with the computer as if they have exclusive access to it, while the operating system manages the sharing of resources behind the scenes.
Time-sharing systems are typically accessed by multiple users through terminals or other devices that are connected to the computer over a network. Each user's terminal is connected to the computer, allowing them to interact with the operating system and run various programs. The operating system schedules the time slices, and allocates the appropriate resources to each user based on the current needs and priorities of the system.
A key feature of time-sharing systems is that they are interactive. They allow users to issue commands, enter data, and receive feedback from the computer in real-time. This allows users to work on the computer in a flexible and efficient manner, and can make it possible for multiple people to work together on the same project or use the same software simultaneously.
Time-sharing systems are still used in modern systems for a few use cases. They are the foundation for the concept of Multi-User systems, where many users are connected to the system and are able to run their own tasks. For example, servers that run websites, servers that run games, servers that run enterprise software etc, all use the concept of time-sharing to allocate resources among multiple users.
Time-sharing is closely related to multiprogramming and multitasking, as it requires an operating system to be able to execute multiple programs at the same time and switch between them quickly. The operating system uses memory management, process management and scheduling mechanisms to share the resources among multiple programs.
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