Unit 3:System software Flashcards
what is an operating system?
they are a large part of system software. They provide the user interface for a person to communicate with the computer.
name the 3 main functions of every operating system
=provide a user interface
=load and run programs
=manage the computer’s resources
what is command line interface
it works via the user entering typed commands with a keyboard.Without the use of a mouse.
over 270 command available.They must be spelt precisly with no spelling mistakes.It is harder to use
what is the Graphical user interface?
is a type of operating system that makes use of windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers.
resourse management
the operating system manages the computer’s resources,such as the CPU,the RAM,the monitor ,storage device ,the kyboard ,mouse and printer.
what does resource management control
=input and output-helping the user interact with the computer
=file management -allowing users to create, delete,save, move and copy files onto secondary storage
=memory management-by maing sure that each program loaded by the user has enough memory allocated to it amd no 2 programs use the same memory space
=process management-make sure that each process will get enough CPU time in order to run successfully.
what is the function of the drivers in operating systems
links the hardware device to the software in such a way that that teh computer can perform its tasks when applications need to send instructions to the particual harware device
what are the types of software
system software
application software
what is application software
Application software is all the computer software that causes a computer to perform useful tasks beyond the running of the computer itself.
what is system software
a set of software designed to control and operate the hardware components of the computer and allow the application programmes to operate. It also provides a platform for application software to be able to run.
What does system software include?
Operating System
Utility Software
Device Drivers
User Interface
What is an Operating System?
is a form of system software that manages and controls all activities taking place in the computer while creating a platform to communicate with the computer.
General role of an operating system
The general role of the operating system is to manage and control all activities taking place in the computer.
What is the role of the operating system?
Provides a user interface I/O management (Input/output management) Process management Manages system memory File management & Security Manages networking capabilities
What is a “User interface “?
The user interface is the relation between a user and a computer program. It is a set of commands through which the user communicates with a program.
It is how you interact with the computer.
This is a function of an operating system that will allow users to be able to have access to- and operate the computer.
I/O Management
This refers to the communication between an information processing system and any other device or human interaction.
Input is the data received by the system and output is the data sent from it.
Known input devices are a keyboard or a mouse, where the most common output devices are a monitor or a printer. Other devices such as a network card can act as an input and/or output device.
Windows
Proprietary software owned by the Microsoft Company.
Android
Android has different versions :Android is based on the Linux kernel.
Open source with proprietary components.
Designed for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.
Initially developed by Android, Inc., which Google backed financially and later bought in 2005
Unix
Multitasking, multi-user, open source computer operating system
Usually installed in a network environment
Linux and Unix is based on the same principles
Linux
Developed by Linus Torvalds in 1991
Can be installed and used on standalone pc’s, network devices or embedded devices
Open-source product
Example: Red Hat Linux
Types of operating systems
standalone
embedded
netwoerk
source code vs executable code
source code is the origanal code written by the porgrammer.The source code is compiled to a separate filled called the object code which is the executable file
Utilities
help a user manage ,analyse,optimize and control their computer
name the utilites that can be found
defragmentation scheduling tasks updating file compression and extraction archive back-up install and uninstall softawre security-firewall and anti malwaare
defragmentation
rearranges fragmented data on a mechanical hard disk so your disk can work more efficiently.
name the 2 types of licenses
propriety license
free and open-source license
proprietary license
does not allow the software to be freely distributed or copied. It does not give you access to the source code.
free and open source lisece
share the source code and the software and they are reffered to as copyleft licenses
name the sub categories of free and open source lisece
creative commons license
freeware
premium software
creative commons license
allows you to keep the copyright of your work but allows people to copy abd distribute your work on condition they ackknowledge your work.
name the sub categories of free and open source lisece
creative commons license
freeware
freemium software
freemium software
varient of freeware where limited functions are provided free at no cost but additional or more advanced features incur a cost
what is file compression
file compression programs reduce the size of files ,so that they can take up less space or can be transferred more quicker over the internet.
discuss decompression of extraction
see page 49
what is archiving
see page 49
discuss what backing up is
a way of making a copy of files or folders in case of data loss to a sepatate location.a backup portects the user in case their normal place of storage becomes unusable due to damage ,space restrictions or corruption.
what is the back-up utility usally used for
the types of files to be backed up
how often the dats is backed up
whether previous backups should be overwritten or not
setting a backup schedule from within the utility
saving the back-up settings for future use
sheduling
allows you to run programs automatically at specified times with specified conditions,allowing the system to update and proces
scheduling
allows you to run programs automatically at specified times with specified conditions, allowing the system to update and process configurations in the background while you are running the computer
what is firewall
firewall is a device or set of devices designed to permit or
what is firewall
firewall is a device or set of devices designed to permit or deny network transmissions based upon a set of rules and is used to protect networks from unauthorized access by permitting legitimate communications only.
what is malware
malware or malicious software is any program or file that is harmful to a computer .Malware includes computer viruses ,spyware and adware
what does malware include
spyware
adware
virus
virus
programs, illegally loaded onto a computer, that cause damage to the system. They can modify the to avoid detection and can spread from on computer to another via removable media or by downloading from the internte.
spyware
computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take particular control over the user’s interaction with the computer ,without the user’s informed consent
name one form of spyware
keystroke-logging can be used to record each keystroke of the user of an infected computer and then transmits
adware
unwanted and annoying software that automatically displays or downloads to a computer .An example is pop up windows.
what is anti-malware
Antimalware is a type of software program created to protect information technology (IT) systems and individual computers from malicious software, or malware. Antimalware programs scan a computer system to prevent, detect and remove malware
anti-virus
Antivirus is a kind of software used to prevent, scan, detect and delete viruses from a computer. Once installed, most antivirus software runs automatically in the background to provide real-time protection against virus attacks.
virtualisation
refers to the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something
utilities
– small programs which help users to maintain their computers
system software
– a type of computer program that is designed to run a
computer’s hardware and application programs
user interface
the way in which people interact with computer
programs or a website
driver
– a set of instructions that tells the operating system how to communicate with a specific piece of hardware
stand-alone operating system
– a complete operating system that works directly on a
computer (or smartphone) to make sure that the tasks
of the operating system are completed
network operating system
– an operating system that is designed to help other computers on a network
embedded operating system
– an object, software or hardware that is independent and does not need an external program or device to run it
how is system software responsible for managing your compute??
● translating the instructions from your software to a language your hardware can understand
● sending these instructions to the correct hardware
● receiving information from the hardware (such as button presses on a keyboard) and sending it to the software
● allowing different applications to communicate with each other
● making sure all the hardware and software on your computer are working correctly.
The operating system has thousands of small tasks that it processes to ensure your computer continues to run smoothly they are??
● managing and interpreting the signals sent and received by your hardware
● understanding and communicating with different hardware devices using drivers
● managing a computer’s memory and storage
● monitoring your hardware’s performance
● providing an interface for users to interact with the
computer
● allowing the computer’s hardware to interact with its software
● allowing computers to connect and communicate over a network
three main types of operating systems:
=stand-alone operating systems
=network operating systems and =embedded
operating systems
Operating systems play a critical role in many different areas of a computer’s functioning, including the computer’s:
● hardware ● software ● processes ● storage ● memory ● networks
STAND-ALONE (description and purpose,cost,size,hardware,examples)
To manage the hardware and software of a
computer and to provider a user interface for
computer users.
= There are many open-source operating systems
that are available for free. However, most people on desktop computers will use the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system, which costs between R1 000 and R3 000.
= Small to large.There are a few operating systems
that require 1 GB or less, but Windows 10 requires 16 GB of free space.
= HDD, CPU, RAM
= Windows Home Edition Ubuntu
NETWORK(description and purpose,cost ,size,hardware,examples)
To provide a service to or manage computers connected to the same network.
=Linux-based network system are very popularly used
and free, while the price for Microsoft Windows Servers range from R6 000 to R90 000, depending on the version.
=Small to large. Most network operating systems
require a signi cant amount of free disk space.
=NIC
=Windows Server Red Hat server
EMBEDDED(description and purpose, cost,size, hardware, examples)
To run the software for a speci c appliance or tool.
=Embedded operating systems are almost always
sold as part of the hardware device. That is, you cannot purchase a SmartTV without an embedded
operating system being pre-installed.
=Most embedded operating systems are very small.
=Processor, RAM, ROM
machine code
The executable instruction code provided by all running computer system programs and applications
binary –
describes a numbering scheme in which there are only two possible values for each digit: 0 and 1
hexadecimal –
– describes a numbering system consisting of 16 digits
[0 … 15]
The CPU completes tasks using the following techniques:
● multitasking
● multiprocessing
● multithreading.
The following list gives some of the most popular reasons for using virtual machines
● Virtual machines allow users to install operating systems. If you wanted to test out an open-source operating system like Ubuntu, then a virtual machine allows you to do so without interfering with your computer.
● Virtual machines can be used to install an application that might contain a virus. Testing it on a virtual machine will allow you to see if the application contains a virus. If it does, you can simply delete the entire virtual machine.
● The image of the virtual hard drive can be used to back up your computer or to transfer all your data to a new computer.
● Virtual machines enable mobile developers to develop applications for different versions of Android and iOS without having to own hundreds of different devices.
what is a boot sequence?
is this initial set of operations that the computer performs when it is switched on.
boot loader
the program that performs the bot sequence which ends with the entire operating system being loaded is known as the boot loader.
firmware
software that permanently resides on ROM
