Unit 4 – System Software Flashcards
- Manages computer’s hardware
- Middleman between the CPU and the application software
- Manages, schedules and coordinate tasks
- Provides a user interface
Operating Systems
Categories
Embedded systems inside instruments, tools. Specific purpose is to make the tools function.
Examples: MRI catscan (medical industry)
Real-Time (RTOS)
Categories
Network operating systems – can manage requests from several users. Often used by mainframes.
Examples: Mainframes supercomputers multiple can connect
Multiuser
Categories
For personal use, allows user to perform several tasks simultaneously
Examples: What we use every day (phone)
Single-User, multi-task
Categories
Mostly old software
Examples: All text based, not point and click like multi-task
Single-User, single-task
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
Open-source:
Borrowing hard drive space (Instructions and data are stored on the hard drive when RAM is full)
Virtual Memory:
**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
Swap file/page file
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
Paging
Virtual Memory:
too much paging → there’s a limit to how much memory you have → can lag your computer
Thrashing
Peripheral Management
Special program attached to computer, facilitates communication between the device and OS
Device Driver:
Peripheral Management
Software and hardware standard
Plug and Play (PnP):
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
API (Application Programming Interface):
The organizational structure of files on your computer
File Management
File Management
The system of drives, libraries, folders, subfolders and files
Directory
File Management
C:/ D:/ F:/ etc. → means you have different hard drives
Root Directory
File Management
\ in Windows, : in Mac OS, / in UNIX systems
File separator:
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
File:
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)
Compression
Program that performs housekeeping tasks for computer → backup, security, diagnostic, recovery.
Utility Programs
Utility Programs:
Come in 3 flavors:
- Included with OS: Firewall and file-compression utilities
- Sold stand-alone programs: Antivirus and security programs (Example: Norton)
- Freeware
