Component 1.5 - Operating Systems (Finishedish) Flashcards
What is an Operating System
An operating system is a software that manages a computer system
Give examples of how the operating system manages computer system resources
- 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
What is Human Computer Interaction
Human-computer interaction (HCI) is the term used to describe the communication between people and
computer systems.
What is a GUI?
A GUI is a type of interface that allows users to interact
with a computer system through graphical icons.
What are GUIs made up of?
They are made up of windows, icons, menus, pointers etc
Give 2 benefits of a touch sensitive interface?
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
What are 3 different types of computer interfaces?
- Graphical User Interface
- Menu Driven Interface
- Voice Driven Interface
- Command line interface
- Touch Sensitive interface
What is a command line interface
It is an entirely text-based interface
that allows a user to communicate with a computer system by
typing in commands
Wha is compression?
Compression is the process of making a file smaller.
What is system restore (rollback)?
System restore is the process of replacing lost or corrupt data by replacing it with an earlier backup
What is disk defragmentation?
Defragmentation is the process where files are physically rearranged on a disk so that the parts of each file are stored together.
What is formatting?
Formatting is the process of preparing a disk for use
What is file transfer?
File transfer is the ability to transfer files from one location to another
Give 3 examples of how a computer system provides a user interface
- 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
Give 2 benefits of a GUI
- Intuitive
- Easy to navigate
- Uses Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers
- No complicated commands
- Data between different software applications is easily exchanged
Give 2 drawbacks of a GUI
- 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
How does a menu driven interface allow people to interact with a computer system?
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)
What is a drawback of a menu driven interface?
- Irritating if there are too many screens to work through
- Navigating takes long
What are two benefits of menu driven interfaces?
- Easy to understand
- No need to learn commands
- Little processing power needed
- Easy to learn
- Logically ordered
- Ideal for beginners
What are three benefits of a voice driven interface?
- Speech input faster than typing
- Reduces typing mistakes
- Can be found more natural than typing
- Hands-free
- Good for users with a disability
Give 2 drawbacks of a voice driven interface.
- 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
Give two benefits of a command line interface.
- 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
What are two drawbacks of command line interfaces?
- Confusing
- Commands have to be typed precisely
- Not for beginners
- Large number of commands need to be learnt
- Instructions can’t be guessed
What are the two methods of achieving disk compression?
Software based and hardware based
Software based disk compression is often included as a facility of an _______ _______.
Operating system,
Hardware disk compression requires __________ hardware, which can be _________. However, it does not affect the ______ of _______ as much as software based disk compression.
Specialist, expensive, speed, access
What do operating systems use a control panel for and what do they enable?
Control panels give the user control of hardware and oft ware features. Which enables the user to change settings all from one convenient location
How does an operating system manage peripherals?
Communicates with and sends/receives data output/input from and output/input device
How does an operating system manage printing using spooling?
- It spools things
- Data is stored in a queue
- Document is printed when printer is free in correct order
How does an operating system manage backing store?
- 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
How does an operating system manage RAM?
- Ensures that programs/data do not corrupt themselves
- Ensures all programs and data is stored correctly in memory locations
How does an operating system manage processes?
- 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
How does the operating system manage security?
- Allows creation and deletion of user accounts
- Allows users to logon and change passwords
How does the operating system manage peripherals?
- Communicates with and sends data to output to an output device
- Communicates with and receives data input from na inout device
How does the operating system manage printing with spooling?
- Data is stored on the hard disc in a queue
- Documents are printed when the printer is free
What is the benefit of spooling?
Printing using spooling means that the user can carry on working or log off when waiting for a job to be printed
How does the operating system manage the backing store?
- 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
How does the operating system manage ram?
- It ensures programs/data don’t corrupt eachother
How does the operating system manage processes?
- 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
How does the operating system manage security?
- Allows deletion and creation of user accounts
- Allows users to log on and change passwords
3 examples of how the operating system provides user interface?
- 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
What is required to allow computer systems and a human to interact?
To allow a person and a computer system to communicate, an interface is required, often called a human-computer interface.
How does a voice driven interface work?
Voice driven interfaces, called voice recognition respond to commands spoken by the user to issue commands to a computer system
How does a command line interface allow a computer system and humans to interact?
A command line interface is a text base interface where people type in commands to communicate with a computer system
Give two drawbacks of a touch sensitive interface?
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
How does a touch sensitive interface allow for the interaction between computers and humans?
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
How can file transfer be done?
File transfer can be done by copying a file from one folder (directory) to another
What happens during formatting?
During formatting a new file system is set out on the disk and all data may be erased for new data to be stored
Why would you use compression?
Compression allows for more data to be stored on the disk and for files to be transferred more quickly
What is the disadvantage of software based disk compression?
Software based disk compression slows down the process of reading and writing to the disk
What is a disadvantage of hardware based disk compression but why can it be better than software?
Hardware disk compression requires expensive hardware but affects the speed of data access much less than software based compression
Why is disk defragmentation required?
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?
Why does defragmentation slow down read speeds?
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
