Regardless of the operating system used, from MS-DOS to Macintosh OS X, from Windows to Linux, to OS/400, one of the key desirable characteristics is robustness of the operating system.
By definition, the word robust, when applied to computer software, refers to the ability to perform well under both ordinary conditions and under unusual conditions that stress its designers' assumptions. An example of a robust operating system is one that can run for years without crashing.
Although some applications may crash, they should do so without affecting other applications and without affecting the operating system itself. This is an example of robustness.
Please respond to all of the following prompts:
• Why is robustness an important operating system criterion?
• Discuss your experiences with any operating systems that you have used.