1.5 Systems Software

Question 1

Operating System

Answer 1

Provides an interface between the user and the hardware.

Question 2

Purpose of the Operating System

Answer 2

• Application software
• Utility programs
• Memory management
• File management
• Device driver

Question 3

Application Software

Answer 3

The role of the OS to provide a platform for these to run.
Eg. Word processors, spreadsheets, graphics programs.

Question 4

Memory Management

Answer 4

• Allows for the transfer of data between memory.
• The allocation of memory to applications.
• Allows for multitasking as it lets more than one program be stored in memory at one time.

Question 5

File Management

Answer 5

Allows users to:
- Create, modify and delete files/folders.
- Copy and duplicate files and folders.
- Move files and folders.
- Rename files and folders.
- Sort items into different orders, according to name, file type, date created.
- Search for particular files and folders
- Restore deleted files.
- Set access rights to files such as read only or edit.

Question 6

Device Driver

Answer 6

Contains the instructions on how to control a peripheral device. E.g. printer

Question 7

Advantages of Device Drivers

Answer 7

• Any device can be used with the OS, as long as there is a device driver for it.
• Drivers can be updated, to give better performance.

Question 8

User management

Answer 8

• Allows individual users to be created
  and deleted
• Different access levels to be given to different users
• Keeps a log of files a user creates, accesses, edits and deletes.

Question 9

Multitasking

Answer 9

To be able to run more than one program simultaneously.

Question 10

Multitasking is only possible if…

Answer 10

• The OS can support multitasking.
• The computer has enough memory to hold multiple programs in RAM at once.

Question 11

User Interface

Answer 11

Umbrella term for the way you interact with a computer as a human being.

Question 12

Types of User Interface

Answer 12

• Graphical User Interface (GUI)
• Command Line
• Menu-driven
• Natural language

Question 13

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Answer 13

• Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers (WIMP)
• Visual interface
• Interactive, optimal for mouse and touch input.
• Intuitive, easy for beginners
• E.g. laptop

Question 14

Command Line Interface

Answer 14

• Text based
• Less resource heavy than GUI
• More commands than GUI
• Efficient
• Typically for more advanced users
• Useful for automating processes with scripts

Question 15

Menu Driven Interface

Answer 15

• Successive menus presented to the user
• Single options chosen at each stage
• User limited to preset options
• Often with buttons on a keypad
• E.g. cashpoints, chip-and-pin devices

Question 16

Natural Language Interface

Answer 16

• Responds to questions in spoken language
• Sometimes unreliable
• Constantly improving
• E.g. Hey Google, Siri, Alexa

Question 17

Utility Software

Answer 17

Software used to maintain the computer system.

Question 18

Types of Utility Software

Answer 18

• Encryption software
• Defragmentation software
• Data compression software

Question 19

Encryption Software

Answer 19

An algorithm is used to scramble plain text into cipher text, which can only be made readable again by being decrypted with a key that only users have.

Question 20

Defragmentation Software

Answer 20

Takes fragmented files and rearranges them to collect files and free space together. This reduces movement of the read/write head across the surface of the disk, speeding up file access.

Question 21

Data Compression Software

Answer 21

Reduces file size so that it takes up less space and is quicker to download.
More files can be stored in memory.