Final answer:
Operating systems allow users to interact with computers through a user-friendly interface, translating user actions into hardware instructions. The evolution of graphic user interfaces made computers accessible, leading to widespread adoption and personal computing becoming integral to everyday life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The operating system is a critical component of modern computers that facilitates interaction between the user and the machine. In the 1980s, the evolution of personal computers brought about dramatic changes in how humans interacted with technology. The introduction of graphic user interfaces (GUIs) by Apple's Macintosh computer, featuring icons and a mouse, made computers more user-friendly and laid the groundwork for widespread adoption.
At the physical level, a computer consists of electronic changes, but at the commonsense level, from the user's perspective, a computer is seen as processing words or solving equations. Users interact with their computers through various components such as keyboards, mice, touchscreens, and voice commands, depending on the sophistication and design of the operating system. The operating system acts as a bridge, translating user actions into instructions that the computer hardware can execute, enabling tasks like browsing the internet, running applications, or controlling devices.
The evolution of operating systems has included the tension between proprietary systems and open-source alternatives. Operating systems once tightly controlled by manufacturers have diversified, while personal computing has become more intimate with each user having a personal relationship with their devices.