03 - Operating Systems & Applications | 01. Basic of Operating Systems

Question 1

What are the main functions of the computer?

Answer 1

The four main functions of a computer are input, processing, memory, and output;

Question 2

What is an operating system?

Answer 2

An Operating System, or OS, is system software that’s responsible for handling the basic functionalities of a computer.

Question 3

What are some examples of popular OSs?

Answer 3

Windows
Linux
Mac
Android
iOS

Question 4

T/F | Every computer contains at least one operating system which starts working the moment a computer is turned on.

Answer 4

TRUE

Question 5

What is at the core of an operating system?

Answer 5

A kernel

Question 6

T/F | The OS has control over both the software and hardware resources of a computer.

Answer 6

TRUE

Question 7

What are some of the vital functions of an OS?

Answer 7

1. Process Management
2. Memory Management
3. File Management
4. IO Management
5. Multitasking
6. Networking
7. Security
8. Providing a user interface

Question 8

What is a kernel?

Answer 8

Manages all the interactions between the hardware and software components of a computer.

Question 9

What is Process Management in an OS?

Answer 9

Our computers run a lot of software. Word processing documents, internet browser, a spreadsheet document, video games - all of these are examples of software. But how does the software know what to do? Being on Codecademy, we might already be familiar with this answer - computer programs! Computer programs contain specific instructions that dictate how a program should work when they’re run.

When we run a program, the instance of that execution is represented by a process. Operating systems handle the responsibility of managing active processes.

Question 10

What is File System Management in an OS?

Answer 10

If we store source code, such as a C program, in a folder on our computer, we are utilizing our computer’s file system. The operating system manages information about individual files as well as the directories they belong in. The OS is also responsible for maintaining file systems by being able to perform tasks such as creating, deleting, renaming, and copying files and/or directories.

Question 11

What is Memory Management in an OS?

Answer 11

We utilize a significant amount of memory in order to store data in our computers; however, not all data is treated the same! Some data, like pictures, need to be stored permanently. Other data, like the information we need to run a process, only needs to be stored temporarily while the application is in use. This temporary memory is known as primary, or main, memory. While hardware like hard disks are used to store permanent data, the operating system is responsible for the management of primary memory stored in RAM.

Question 12

What is IO Management in an OS?

Answer 12

Keyboards and speakers and mice, oh my! IO stands for Input/Output and represents the devices used for interaction. A mouse is considered an input device, because we use them to send data to our computer. A monitor is regarded as an output device since it is used to communicate data (like an image) to us, the user. The operating system plays a large role in managing IO by ensuring communication between IO hardware and IO software.

Question 13

T/F | The operating system (OS) is system software.

Answer 13

TRUE