操作系统中作业和进程的区别

参考了《操作系统概念》

英文原文

A question that arises in discussing operating systems involves what to call all the CPU activities. Early computers were batch systems that executed jobs, followed by the emergence of time-shared systems that ran user programs, or tasks. Even on a single-user system, a user may be able to run several programs at one time: a word processor, a web browser, and an e-mail package. And even if a computer can execute only one program at a time, such as on an embedded device that does not support multitasking, the operating system may need to support its own internal programmed activities, such as memory management.

In many respects, all these activities are similar, so we call all of them processes.

Although we personally prefer the more contemporary term process, the term job has historical significance, as much of operating system theory and terminology was developed during a time when the major activity of operating systems was job processing. Therefore, in some appropriate instances we use job when describing the role of the operating system. As an example, it would be misleading to avoid the use of commonly accepted terms that include the word job (such as job scheduling) simply because process has superseded job.

总结

早期的批处理操作系统执行“作业”（job)，单用户系统执行“进程”（process）。
尽管我们很喜欢用进程，但许多操作系统理论和技术是在主要活动被称为“job processing”期间发展的。因此在一些合适的情况下，我们使用“作业”。比如，仅仅因为“进程”取代了“作业”，就避免使用包括“作业”（如“作业调度”）的被普遍接受的术语，会容易产生误导。