1.5) The purpose and functionality of Operating Systems (lesson 1) Flashcards
What are the two different types of system software?
- operating system
- utility software
What is the purpose of an operating system?
Provides a platform on which users can run programs
what is utility software
used to maintain the computer system
Systems software is software that governs the computer system. By :
- controls the hardware, including any peripherals
- allows other programs (applications) to run
- provides an interface for the user to interact with the computer
- maintains the system
Operating systems have many functions, what are they ?
- controlling hardware components
- providing a platform for software to run on
- providing a
user interface - multitasking facilities
- managing the computer’s memory
- managing peripherals
- managing files
- managing users
Give some examples of Operating Systems
- Microsoft Windows
- Apple OS X
- Linux
- Android
- IOS
what are peripherals ?
A piece of hardware that connects to a computer, eg a mouse, keyboard, printer or scanner
what is a user interface ?
A user interface is a program, or suite of programs that allows a user to interact with a computer. There are three types of interface to be considered. (GUI, command line, menu drive interface, natural language)
Use of Graphical User Interface:
(GUI)
- Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers (WIMP)
- Visual
- Interactive
- Intuitive
- Optimised for mouse and gesture input
Use of command line:
- Text based
- Less resource heavy compared to a GUI
- More commands than a GUI
- Efficient
- For advance users
- Useful for automating processes with scripts
Use of Menu Drive Interface:
- Successive menus presented to the user
- Single option chosen at each stage
- Often with buttons on a keypad
Use of Natural Language:
- Responds to questions in a spoken language
- Not always reliable but improving all the time
What type of software is needed to control the computer’s hardware?
systems software
The following is not a type of Systems Software:
- Device Drivers
- Utility Programs
- Applications
- Operating Systems
Applications
To allow a user to interact with an Operating System – it must have a…?
User interface
Which type of user interface contains Windows, Icons, Menus, and pointers?
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Which type of user interface is text based and requires the user to write commands?
Command line interface
Raspbian is an example of what type of Operating System?
Command line interface
