Operating Systems Flashcards
What is an operating system
A system software that manages computer hardware and software resources, and provides common services for programs
What are examples of operating systems
Chrome OS
Microsoft Windows
Android
Google
MS DOS
Apple
MacOS
Linux
What is system software
The software that provides a platform for other software to work.
What does system software include
Operating systems
Utility programs
What is the function of an operating system
Manages computer hardware
Manages users
Manages resources used by software
What is an operating system responsible for managing
Multitasking
File Management
User Management
Memory Management
User Interface
Drivers
Peripheral Management (hard drives)
What is a user interface
Provides a method for the user to interact with the computer
What are common examples of a user interface
GUI (Graphical User Interface)
Menu Driven Interface
CLI (Command Line Interface)
What are examples of desktop interfaces
Pointers
Windows
Menus
Icon
Drag and drop
What is a CLI (Command Line Interface)
When text commands are entered into the computer
CLIs require less RAM (main memory) and much less hard disk storage space
They give greater control than GUIs, and are less resource heavy
What is an MDI (Menu Driven Interface)
A type of interface often used by devices that have a dedicated function. These can include
MP3 players
ATM machines
Self service checkouts
How does memory management work in an operating system
To run a program, the computer must copy the program from storage into RAM
Data used by the program is copied into the RAM
How does an operating system handle memory
Keeps a record of where each program and data is located
Makes sure not to overwrite existing programs and data
What is multitasking
When an operating system manages multiple tasks at the same time
What is an example of multitasking
Writing an email and calling a friend at the same time
The operating system will decide which process next runs on the CPU and for how long
What is utility software
It performs extra functionality and housekeeping tasks that keep computers running efficiently.
They are often packaged as part of an operating system
What are the four types of utility software
Encryption software
Data compression
Disk defragmentation
Backup
What is an example of utility programs
Antivirus
What is encryption software
Encodes text so it cannot be understood or read without knowing a key to decode it
What type of organisations would encrypt their software
Councils
Accountants
Companies
What are encryption software utilities commonly used for
Encrypts hard disks so data cannot be understood if a computer is stolen
Encrypts files and folders on a portable disk such as USB removable storage
Encrypt communication with website
Encrypts data in an organisation’s database, especially sensitive data such as passwords
What is data compression
Reduces the size of the information into smaller bits which saves lots of space.
When applying data compression, time is decreased to process efficiently due to the shrinking and reduction size of the data
What is backup
Creates a copy of every single file we have, which is automatically saved
Why is incremental backup not always good
If no activity has been done on a file, it doesn’t save.
What is disk defragmentation
When a broken or damaged file is removed due to
Decreasing quality
Taking up storage space
It also puts all fragments of a file together, so it can be read faster
