Unit 4 – System Software

Question 1

1. Manages computer’s hardware
2. Middleman between the CPU and the application software
3. Manages, schedules and coordinate tasks
4. Provides a user interface

Answer 1

Operating Systems

Question 2

Categories

Embedded systems inside instruments, tools. Specific purpose is to make the tools function.

Examples: MRI catscan (medical industry)

Answer 2

Real-Time (RTOS)

Question 3

Categories

Network operating systems – can manage requests from several users. Often used by mainframes.

Examples: Mainframes supercomputers multiple can connect

Answer 3

Multiuser

Question 4

Categories

For personal use, allows user to perform several tasks simultaneously

Examples: What we use every day (phone)

Answer 4

Single-User, multi-task

Question 5

Categories

Mostly old software

Examples: All text based, not point and click like multi-task

Answer 5

Single-User, single-task

Question 6

Software that is not owned by a company, but rather maintained by a community and can be used/modified by users and vendors

Most personal operating systems today are linked to the cloud (Examples: iCloud, OneDrive)
OS are stored in the computer’s hard drive like other software

Answer 6

Open-source:

Question 7

Borrowing hard drive space (Instructions and data are stored on the hard drive when RAM is full)

Answer 7

Virtual Memory:

Question 8

**Virtual Memory:

temporary storage area on the hard drive. Data/instructions that haven’t recently been used are swapped out from RAM by the OS

Answer 8

Swap file/page file

Question 9

Virtual Memory:

process of swapping. If data/instructions are needed later, OS swaps them back into active RAM → replaces them in the hard drive’s swap file with less active data/instructions

Answer 9

Paging

Question 10

Virtual Memory:

too much paging → there’s a limit to how much memory you have → can lag your computer

Answer 10

Thrashing

Question 11

Peripheral Management

Special program attached to computer, facilitates communication between the device and OS

Answer 11

Device Driver:

Question 12

Peripheral Management

Software and hardware standard

Answer 12

Plug and Play (PnP):

Question 13

Application Software Coordination

Block of codes in OS that allow OS to interact with CPU (Example: Microsoft DirectX is a group of APIs built into Windows OS that improves graphics and sounds)

(Example: insert chart from Excel into a Word doc)

Advantage: Prevents redundancies in software code, makes it easier to developers to respond to changes is OS. Some apps have common ____, makes data exchange easier

Answer 13

API (Application Programming Interface):

Question 15

The organizational structure of files on your computer

Answer 15

File Management

Question 16

File Management

The system of drives, libraries, folders, subfolders and files

Answer 16

Directory

Question 17

File Management

C:/ D:/ F:/ etc. → means you have different hard drives

Answer 17

Root Directory

Question 18

File Management

\ in Windows, : in Mac OS, / in UNIX systems

Answer 18

File separator:

Question 19

File Management

Collection of program instructions or data to be treated as a single unit

All ____ get an extension which indicates what type of file it is

Answer 19

File:

Question 20

File Management

Taking out redundancies in files to reduce the file size, making them easier to send → can reduce file size by up to 50%. Some files are compressed by default (PDF)

Answer 20

Compression

Question 21

Program that performs housekeeping tasks for computer → backup, security, diagnostic, recovery.

Answer 21

Utility Programs

Question 22

Utility Programs:

Come in 3 flavors:

Answer 22

• Included with OS: Firewall and file-compression utilities
• Sold stand-alone programs: Antivirus and security programs (Example: Norton)
• Freeware