What Is a Single-User Multitasking Operating System?

A single-user multitasking operating system is an operating system that allows a single user to simultaneously run multiple applications on a computer. This type of operating system is found in personal desktop and laptop computers. The most popular single-user multitasking operating systems include Microsoft Windows and Macintosh.

Computer multitasking is a method by which multiple tasks or processes share common processing resources such as the central processing unit. Multitasking can be pre-emptive or co-operative. In pre-emptive multitasking, the operating system shares the central processing time by dedicating a single slot to each of the programs. Co-operative multitasking is attained by relying on each process to give time to other processes in a defined manner.