operating systems tell the different parts of the computer how to talk to one another and let the user do the same. any computer is just a paper weight without an operating system to get all it's parts working together. even with an OS without application software, a computer is not much of a useful tool for the average person.
An operating system is a necessary concept of using a modern computer. It is not a matter of "popularity."
In general , NO
Most modern operating systems are built around a kernel, but this has not always been the case. Most early operating systems did not make such a division of function.
For RAM, a modern computer with a modern operating system needs about 1-2 gb minimum. For Disk space, about 16 GB is sufficient.
A Mac or a PC running a recent operating system like Vista or Mac OS 10.5
Multitasking, the ability to run several processes at the same time, is a feature of most modern computer operating systems.
The first simple "operating system" was a program called IBSYS that IBM released for the IBM 7090 transistorized computer in 1960. IBSYS was derived from a program IBM's customer General Motors had written for their IBM 701 and IBM 704 computers and contributed to the IBM computer users group SHARE. SHARE had rewritten General Motor's original program, calling it SHARE Operating System for the IBM 704 and IBM 709 which was the version adapted by IBM to make IBSYS. IBSYS was not like modern operating systems however and would now be called a batch monitor program..
Scribus runs on most modern general-purpose operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, BSD, Solaris, and eComStation.
In computing, the kernel is a computer program that manages I/O (input/output) requests fromsoftware, and translates them into data processing instructions for the central processing unit and other electronic components of a computer. The kernel is a fundamental part of a modern computer's operating system.[1]
DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.DOS is not necessary for computers. Lots of computers do not use DOS. What is necessary is an operating system. It is software that enables your computer to work and enables other software to run on a computer. There are many kinds of operating systems used on different types of computers. DOS (Disk Operating System) is just one operating system that was very common on PCs. Modern PCs do not use DOS now. Other types of computers use other operating systems and never used DOS.
I suppose that would depend greatly on what you plan to do with the computer. However, that is nowhere near enough to run a modern operating system and programs.
The operating system acts as a buffer between the computer's hardware and the applications it is running. To use a computer without an operating system you will need applications that communicate directly with the hardware - as was often the case in the days before powerful operating systems such as Windows and Mac OS became the norm- but to harness the full power that computers offer today a modern operating system is required.