What is the main function of an operating system in a workstation?

The primary role of an operating system is to manage the hardware and software resources of a workstation. This encompasses a wide range of tasks, including overseeing the interactions between the hardware components like the CPU, memory, hard drives, and input/output devices, as well as managing software applications that run on the system.

By efficiently allocating system resources, the operating system ensures that applications have the necessary resources to function correctly while also maintaining system stability and performance. It acts as an intermediary between users and the hardware, allowing for user-friendly commands and actions that translate into hardware operations. This management is essential for ensuring that multiple applications can run concurrently without conflicts.

The other choices, while they may describe functions related to a workstation environment, do not encapsulate the core purpose of an operating system. For instance, while a web browser allows users to access the internet, it is merely an application that operates within the framework created by the operating system. Similarly, antivirus protection is a security feature that may be managed by software running on the operating system but is not a function of the operating system itself. Limiting access to unauthorized users is a capability often implemented through security features but is not the primary purpose of an operating system. Thus, the focus on managing resources is what delineates