System Software Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is the clear definition of an operating system?
software that helps manage the resources of a computer system and provides the interface between the computer and the user
What are the 5 main functions of an OS?
MUFDI
1. Memory management and Multitasking
2. User management
3. File management
4. Peripheral management and Drivers
5. User Interfaces
What is memory management?
the process of controlling and coordinating a computer’s main memory
What is the definition of multitasking and how does it work?
Multitasking is when the OS appears RAM to be running multiple programmes at once. It does this by time slicing, where each program uses up a bit of the processor’s time, one after the other.
What is peripheral management?
The management of data being transferred between peripherals and the processor.
What is a device driver and why is it important?
A device driver is software that provides interface for the OS to interact with hardware. A driver translates the OS’ instructions into a format that hardware can understand.
What does user management do?
User management allows different users to be on the same computer. The OS creates, manages and deletes users and also manages passwords too. Different access levels can be applied to different users.
What does file management manage?
File management manages where files are written to on the disk, where they are located, and makes sure to not overwrite another file
it also:
- names files
- allocates files to folders
- moves files
- saves files
- deletes files
What are user interfaces?
Ways of allowing the user to interact with the computer
What are some types of user interfaces and what do they display?
GUI - Graphical User Interface displays images such as icons, windows, tabs, folders etc.
CLI - Command Line Interface displays text only, and a user has to enter commands to interact with the computer
What is the definition of utility software?
a type of system software that helps maintain and configure a computer. Many OS pre-install useful utility software
what are some examples of utility software?
encryption, defragmentation, compression and firewall
What is the definition of encryption?
The process of scrambling data to an unreadable form, and requires a key to descramble
What is the definition of defragmentation?
the process of relocating file fragments so that they become one singular file.
What are the benefits of defragmentation?
Faster read and write speeds on the hard drive, extra empty spaces for new files
What is the definition of compression?
Reducing the file size of files to make files smaller and quicker to download
