An operating context (OC) for an application is defined by the hardware/software environment in the device, as well as the target user, and other constraints imposed by various other stakeholders.

This concept differs from the Operating system by the impact of these various other stakeholders.

Here is the classic example of one device, with one operating system, changing it's operating context without changing the OS.

A user with a mobile phone pops SIM card A out of his phone, and pops in SIM card B. The phone will now be making any network calls over cell phone carrier A's network, rather then carrier B.

Any applications running on the phone will be running in a new operating context, and will often have to change functionality to adapt to the capabilities, and business logic, of the new carrier.

References

http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~damithch/df/device-fragmentation.htm Operating context defined in a sidebar in this article

References

See also