Ever heard of Microsoft Windows? How about Linux? These are operating systems, also known as OS's, that the computer needs in order to accept input (keyboard, mouse) from the user (you) to manipulate the hardware (computer components) to run programs and output them to an interface that you can see (monitor). In other words, an OS is one of the essential components of a working computer. That is why Microsoft is constantly battling anti-trust and monopoly lawsuits from countries (and losing some of them).
Another way to look at it is if you wanted to build a computer, then you can use any central processing unit (CPU) from Intel, AMD, or Cyrix. You can use any motherboard (mobo) from Gigabyte, MSI, etc. When you look at all the components that make up a working PC (in the sense that we are familiar with), the list goes on and on. You can use any graphics card, monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc from any manufacturer and they would all work the same, BUT you can only use one OS. Microsoft Windows. That is how Bill Gates became the richest person in the world and Linux was such a threat back in the late 90's. (Linux was a free OS that ran well on low-end computers and offered many of the same features as Microsoft Windows but didn't have the help and support needed at the consumer level... which is why it was ultimately unsuccessful with dethroning Microsoft from King of the Hill.)
Well, guess who is coming out with an OS now? Google is releasing their free Chrome OS this August (actually, only the source code) and computers will supposedly be shipping with it in the second half of 2010. Even though Linux still has it's place among internet servers and databases, it was suppose to be the OS that knocked Microsoft after it's perch, but (as mentioned above) eventually failed. Maybe Google's Chrome OS will be the one to finally place Microsoft into the fair realm of free enterprise.
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