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Computer-Science GCSE Revision (Paper 1) > Component 1.5 - Operating Systems (Finishedish) > Flashcards

Component 1.5 - Operating Systems (Finishedish) Flashcards

1
Q

What is an Operating System

A

An operating system is a software that manages a computer system

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2
Q

Give examples of how the operating system manages computer system resources

A
  • It manages peripherals such as input and output devices
  • Manages printing using spooling
  • Manages backing store
  • Manages memory (RAM)
  • Manages processes
  • Manages security
  • Provides user interface
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3
Q

What is Human Computer Interaction

A

Human-computer interaction (HCI) is the term used to describe the communication between people and
computer systems.

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4
Q

What is a GUI?

A

A GUI is a type of interface that allows users to interact

with a computer system through graphical icons.

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5
Q

What are GUIs made up of?

A

They are made up of windows, icons, menus, pointers etc

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6
Q

Give 2 benefits of a touch sensitive interface?

A

BENEFITS:
- Easier to use as the user simply touches what is
seen on the display
- Touching a visual display of choices requires little
thinking and is a form of direct manipulation that
is easy to learn
- Easier hand-eye coordination

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7
Q

What are 3 different types of computer interfaces?

A
  • Graphical User Interface
  • Menu Driven Interface
  • Voice Driven Interface
  • Command line interface
  • Touch Sensitive interface
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8
Q

What is a command line interface

A

It is an entirely text-based interface
that allows a user to communicate with a computer system by
typing in commands

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9
Q

Wha is compression?

A

Compression is the process of making a file smaller.

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10
Q

What is system restore (rollback)?

A

System restore is the process of replacing lost or corrupt data by replacing it with an earlier backup

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11
Q

What is disk defragmentation?

A

Defragmentation is the process where files are physically rearranged on a disk so that the parts of each file are stored together.

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12
Q

What is formatting?

A

Formatting is the process of preparing a disk for use

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13
Q

What is file transfer?

A

File transfer is the ability to transfer files from one location to another

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14
Q

Give 3 examples of how a computer system provides a user interface

A
  • Allows management of files
  • Allows access to system settings such as hardware
  • Provides user interfaces (graphical and command line)
  • Allows user to switch between tasks/windows
  • Allows customisation of interface
  • Provides user with error/help messages
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15
Q

Give 2 benefits of a GUI

A
  • Intuitive
  • Easy to navigate
  • Uses Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers
  • No complicated commands
  • Data between different software applications is easily exchanged
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16
Q

Give 2 drawbacks of a GUI

A
  • It requires a large amount of memory
  • They are processor intensive
  • Computer experts may find it slower than a command line interface
  • Take up a large amount of storage
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17
Q

How does a menu driven interface allow people to interact with a computer system?

A

A menu driven interface allows people to interact with a computer system by presenting the user with a series of menues and allowing them to work through them (e.g. original ipod)

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18
Q

What is a drawback of a menu driven interface?

A
  • Irritating if there are too many screens to work through

- Navigating takes long

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19
Q

What are two benefits of menu driven interfaces?

A
  • Easy to understand
  • No need to learn commands
  • Little processing power needed
  • Easy to learn
  • Logically ordered
  • Ideal for beginners
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20
Q

What are three benefits of a voice driven interface?

A
  • Speech input faster than typing
  • Reduces typing mistakes
  • Can be found more natural than typing
  • Hands-free
  • Good for users with a disability
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21
Q

Give 2 drawbacks of a voice driven interface.

A
  • Background noise interferes with speech recognition
  • Users with strong accents or sore throats or cold/flu may not be understood
  • Similar sounding words may be confused
  • Difficult to keep data input private. People will always be listening to you
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22
Q

Give two benefits of a command line interface.

A
  • Quick to type commands
  • Shortcut keys can be used
  • Little memory and processing power needed (and storage)
  • Experts may find it fast to use once they have memorised commands
23
Q

What are two drawbacks of command line interfaces?

A
  • Confusing
  • Commands have to be typed precisely
  • Not for beginners
  • Large number of commands need to be learnt
  • Instructions can’t be guessed
24
Q

What are the two methods of achieving disk compression?

A

Software based and hardware based

25
Q

Software based disk compression is often included as a facility of an _______ _______.

A

Operating system,

26
Q

Hardware disk compression requires __________ hardware, which can be _________. However, it does not affect the ______ of _______ as much as software based disk compression.

A

Specialist, expensive, speed, access

27
Q

What do operating systems use a control panel for and what do they enable?

A

Control panels give the user control of hardware and oft ware features. Which enables the user to change settings all from one convenient location

28
Q

How does an operating system manage peripherals?

A

Communicates with and sends/receives data output/input from and output/input device

29
Q

How does an operating system manage printing using spooling?

A
  • It spools things
  • Data is stored in a queue
  • Document is printed when printer is free in correct order
30
Q

How does an operating system manage backing store?

A
  • Ensures that data is correctly stored and can be retrieved from any disk drive
  • Creates and maintains filing systems
  • Organises files in a order of rank arranged directory structure
31
Q

How does an operating system manage RAM?

A
  • Ensures that programs/data do not corrupt themselves

- Ensures all programs and data is stored correctly in memory locations

32
Q

How does an operating system manage processes?

A
  • Ensures different processes can utilise the CPU and do not interfere with each other
  • Ensures that all tasks appear to run simultaneously in multi tasking
33
Q

How does the operating system manage security?

A
  • Allows creation and deletion of user accounts

- Allows users to logon and change passwords

34
Q

How does the operating system manage peripherals?

A
  • Communicates with and sends data to output to an output device
  • Communicates with and receives data input from na inout device
35
Q

How does the operating system manage printing with spooling?

A
  • Data is stored on the hard disc in a queue

- Documents are printed when the printer is free

36
Q

What is the benefit of spooling?

A

Printing using spooling means that the user can carry on working or log off when waiting for a job to be printed

37
Q

How does the operating system manage the backing store?

A
  • It ensures all data is stored and can be retrieved correctly from any disk drive
  • It creates and maintains filing systems such as FAT or NTFS
38
Q

How does the operating system manage ram?

A
  • It ensures programs/data don’t corrupt eachother
39
Q

How does the operating system manage processes?

A
  • Ensures that different processes can utilise the cpu without interfering with each other and crashing
  • Ensure that all tasks appear to run simultaneously for multi tasking
40
Q

How does the operating system manage security?

A
  • Allows deletion and creation of user accounts

- Allows users to log on and change passwords

41
Q

3 examples of how the operating system provides user interface?

A
  • Allows managing of files or folders
  • Provides a command line interface
  • Provides a graphical user interface
  • Provides a user with error/help messages
  • Allows user to switch between tasks (programs/windows)
  • Allows access to system settings such as hardware
42
Q

What is required to allow computer systems and a human to interact?

A

To allow a person and a computer system to communicate, an interface is required, often called a human-computer interface.

43
Q

How does a voice driven interface work?

A

Voice driven interfaces, called voice recognition respond to commands spoken by the user to issue commands to a computer system

44
Q

How does a command line interface allow a computer system and humans to interact?

A

A command line interface is a text base interface where people type in commands to communicate with a computer system

45
Q

Give two drawbacks of a touch sensitive interface?

A

DRAWBACKS:
- Screen can be easily damaged/scratched
- Users must be within arm’s reach of the display
- Screens need to be installed at a lower position
and tilted to reduce arm fatigue
- Less accuracy

46
Q

How does a touch sensitive interface allow for the interaction between computers and humans?

A

Commands / datat in a touch sensitive interface are issued by touching the screen with a stylus or pen, with gestures such as tapping, swiping etc

47
Q

How can file transfer be done?

A

File transfer can be done by copying a file from one folder (directory) to another

48
Q

What happens during formatting?

A

During formatting a new file system is set out on the disk and all data may be erased for new data to be stored

49
Q

Why would you use compression?

A

Compression allows for more data to be stored on the disk and for files to be transferred more quickly

50
Q

What is the disadvantage of software based disk compression?

A

Software based disk compression slows down the process of reading and writing to the disk

51
Q

What is a disadvantage of hardware based disk compression but why can it be better than software?

A

Hardware disk compression requires expensive hardware but affects the speed of data access much less than software based compression

52
Q

Why is disk defragmentation required?

A

Files stored on computer systems can become fragmented, meaning they are split up and stored on different parts of the disk which slows down read speeds?

53
Q

Why does defragmentation slow down read speeds?

A

If a file is fragmented it takes longer for the disk heads to move between the different parts of the file which slows down data access speeds

Computer-Science GCSE Revision (Paper 1) (11 decks)

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