© paradigm publishing inc. 4-1 operating systems

© Paradigm Publishing Inc. 4-1

OPERATING SYSTEMS


The Function of System Software

What is the function of system software?– tells computer what to do and how to do it– issues instructions to perform actions in a certain

order, allowing hardware to process data into information


The Function of System SoftwareTwo Categories of Software–Application software includes programs that perform one task

–System software controls the operations of a computer system


The Function of the Operating System

What is the function of the operating system?– manages main memory, or RAM– configures and controls peripheral devices– Ex. Mouse, keyboard

– manages essential file operations– monitors system performance– Ex. Task manager

– provides a user interface– Graphic or text



Booting a computer is a series of steps that displays the OS desktop on the screen.



Managing Memory– Throughput – a measure of computer’s performance– Buffers – hold information and data waiting to

be transferred from input or output device– Print spooling – holds document in buffer until

ready to be printed– Multitasking – working on two or more applications

at the same time



Managing Memory– Driver enables the operating system to communicate

with a peripheral device, such as a keyboard, monitor, mouse, modem, printer, or disk drive.

– File manager maintains a record of all stored files and their locations, allowing a user to quickly locate and retrieve files.

– Performance monitor checks the computer system’s speed and efficiency, as well as performance of CPU, memory, and storage disks.


Software User Interfaces

Graphical user interfaces use pictures

or text symbols (icons) to stand for complex commands.


Software User Interfaces

Graphical User Interfaces– Desktop – screen on which graphical elements are

displayed– Display window – area of the screen used to

display a program or data– Menu – set of options that can be activated with

the click of a mouse– Common command icons – common actions

such as opening, saving, or printing files


Personal Computer Operating Systems

Windows Operating System

– Windows XP Professional – designed for fast, powerful computers with much memory and hard disk space

– Windows Vista – improves security, helps diagnose and repair system problems, and makes networking easier

– Windows 7 – improves security, improved efficiency



Macintosh Operating System

– Mac OS – has impressive graphics and ease of use– Mac OS 9 – better speech recognition, supports

files up to 2 terabytes, provides for many users, allows file encryption, and supports voice-entered passwords

– Mac OS X – uses UNIX operating system foundation



IBM OS/2 – used mainly for business applications

Linux– an open-source software program (programming

code is free to the public)


Other Operating Systems

• Server Operating Systems– Novell, Unix

• Mobile Device Operation Sytems– Ex. Android(Google), iOS (Apple), Windows Phone

(Microsoft)


Utility Programs and Translators

– Utility programs and their functions


Utility Programs and Translators

– Utility programs and their functions (continued)


On the Horizon

Based on the information presented in this chapter and your own experience, what do you think is on the horizon?

http://youtu.be/0QRO3gKj3qw

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