Software

Question 1

What is a Multi-Tasking Operating System?

Answer 1

Allows the user to have multiple applications open at the same time, in reality it isn’t true multitasking as the bus that sends data, would get clogged with data.

Question 2

What is a Multi-User Operating System?

Answer 2

It allows different login accounts for different people, in reality this also isn’t a true multi-user system, a true multi-user system would be something like a mainframe.

Question 3

What is Distributed Operating System?

Answer 3

Some operating systems combine the power of computers to work together on a single task.

Question 4

What is Embedded Operating Systems?

Answer 4

These are embedded into devices that have a specific purpose, consoles used to be embedded systems but now they have multiple purposes such as watching on demand tv and using the internet.

Question 5

What is Real-time Operating Systems?

Answer 5

The response time of a real-time operating system will often be a fraction of a second, Normal systems are not real time as there is a slightly larger delay.

Question 6

What are some Examples of Software?

Answer 6

Microsoft Word – Work (Alt Notepad, )

Google Chrome – Browsing Internet (Alt Internet Explorer, Chrome is faster and I am used to it)

Steam – Games (Alt Battle.net, Steam allows for more games )

Power point - Presentation

Python – Coding (Alt C#, Python is used for school,)

Unity – Coding (Alt Unreal Engine, Harder to use when compared to unity)

Discord – VOIP (Alt Skype, Discord is easier to use and has a higher quality of sound.)

Question 7

What is Virtual Storage?

Answer 7

Virtual storage is used when the physical storage is full or close to full. It is stored on the hard drive, and can slow down the device, as a result of this.

Question 8

What is a Page?

Answer 8

Pages are blocks of data of similar sizes, they are normally about 4kb. The OS uses a page table to keep track of the pages location in the memory.

Question 9

What is Segmentation?

Answer 9

Segmentation is where the program is split up into logical sections, so that the code it splits makes sense and isn’t separated like it would be with pages.

Question 10

What is a Driver?

Answer 10

A driver communicates with hardware, updates with patches, so that the system can run with the appropriate hardware.

Question 11

What are Interupts?

Answer 11

The role of interrupts and interrupt service routines (ISR), role within the fetch decode execute cycle. The CPU needs to know when a device needs its attention so it interrupts to see if it does. An interrupt will have a priority indicating how urgently it requires attention. Too many interrupts can lead to the computer slowing down and instructions not being carried out.

Question 12

What is ISR?

Answer 12

ISR (interrupt service routine), is a program that will run when an interrupt is received. The ISR is held in stack memory.

Question 13

What is a Round Robin Scheduler?

Answer 13

It allocates a fixed time per process and then cycles through them until they are done

Question 14

What is a Fist Come First Served Scheduler?

Answer 14

It is the simplest as they just put the actions in a queue as and when they arrive in that order.

Question 15

What is a Shortest Running Time Scheduler?

Answer 15

It does this shorted job first… Simple

Question 16

What is a Multi-Level Feedback Queues Scheduler?

Answer 16

Categories processes into their own queues which have their own priority. Each queue may have its own prioritisation algorithm.

Question 17

What is Shortest Job First Scheduler?

Answer 17

This is where the scheduler prioritises smaller jobs to get them out of the way.

Question 18

What is a Virtual Machine?

Answer 18

It is an operating system that emulates dedicated hardware, this allows people to emulate different machines on their computer.

Question 19

What is the BIOS?

Answer 19

Bios is started up when the computer is first switched on. It directs, initializes and tests the hardware components, as well as booting up the operating system. It is stored in the ROM, so it is closer to the cpu and is none volatile.

Question 20

What is the Waterfall Methodology?

Answer 20

The Waterfall life cycle is a well known development model. It consists of a sequence of stages. In the most basic form each stage is started only after the other is completed.

Question 21

What is Extreme Programming?

Answer 21

A representative of the customer becomes part of the team. They help decide the requirements. Like Rad the program is coded, tested and improved repeatedly but in shorter iterations. When XP loops round new user requirements (user stories) are outlined and divided.

Question 22

What is Spiral Methodology?

Answer 22

The spiral model focuses on risks, the idea is that risks are dealt with before any issues occur. The model consists of four stages, each forming a section of the spiral

There will be a ‘product’ at The end of each cycle of the Spiral, but it is not necessarily a version of the program.

Question 23

What are interrupts?

Answer 23

Where different parts of the system get the attention of the CPU to process their needs, different interrupts are tackled based on their importance.

Question 24

What will happen to the current instruction if there is an important interrupt?

Answer 24

It will be added to a stack so that once the interrupt it complete it can pop it from the stack and continue with it.

Question 25

What is a Scheduler?

Answer 25

A Scheduler is used to maximise the number of jobs that are processed in a specific time, by allocating jobs a fair share of processor time.

Question 26

What is the First Come First Served Scheduling Algorithm?

Answer 26

This is where Jobs are completed in the order they arrive, similar to First in First Out.

Question 27

What is the Round Robin Scheduling Algorithm?

Answer 27

Jobs are split into time slices once the CPU has processed a job within the time slice, it moves it to the back of the queue and continues until all jobs are complete

Question 28

What is the Shortest Job First Scheduling Algorithm?

Answer 28

Jobs are sorted based on their length with the shortest jobs being closer to the front.

Question 29

What is the Shortest Remaining Time Scheduling Algorithm?

Answer 29

As processing goes on jobs get shorter, similar to Shortest Job First, but is pre-emptive, For example if a shorter job gets added to the queue, then the current job gets interrupted.

Question 30

What is the Multi-Level Feedback Queue Scheduling Algorithm?

Answer 30

This is a complex algorithm that sets up a league table system and jobs rated according to time left, resources required and importance.

Question 31

What’s the difference between a Procedure and a Function?

Answer 31

Both Are subsections of code that have a set purpose, however a procedure doesn’t return a value like a function does, because of this functions are more commonly used nowadays.