Unit one pages 7-10 Flashcards
Types of Operating System The roles of the Operating System User Interface Utility Software
What is an Operating System
Its a software which co-ordinates all the operations of your computer. It manages all the resources on the computer, it manages all the resources on the computer, such as CPU and RAM and controls the software and hardware.
What does RTOS stand for?
Real-Time Operating System
List 4 types of operating systems
> RTOS
Single user single task
Single user multitasking
Multi-user
Describe RTOS
Inputs are processed and responded to instantaneously
Which factors affect performance
> Hardware
Malware
Virtual Memory
How does malware affect performance?
> Viruses
Spyware
Worms
What are the Hardware factors that affect performance?
> Number of cores (processor cores)
Limited RAM capacity
Slow hard-disk read/write (fragmentation)
Limited CPU capacity
What are the Virtual memory factors that affect performance?
> Not enough HDD space allocated to extend RAM.
Heavy use of virtual memory relies on slow disc transfers rather than fast working memory (RAM) data transfers.
Benefits of RTOS
> It provides fast response
It is best used where input must be processed and responded to immediately.
Give two examples of RTOS?
> Traffic Lights
Air traffic control system
Describe Single user multitasking
> One user can use the system at a time, but many applications can be ran simultaneously
Benefits of Single user multitasking
> it is best used on systems where a user needs to switch quickly between applications
Give two examples of Single user multitasking
> Officer worker using a laptop
or a PC
Describe Single user Single task
> One user can use the system at a time, and one application can run at a time.
Benefits of Single user Single task
> It requires fewer resources
Best used on devices that have limited processing memory which can’t handle multiple application
Give two examples of Single user Single task
> Simple handheld games
Basic mobile phones
Describe Multi-user operating systems
> Many users can use the system at the same time and can run many applications simultaneously.
Benefits of Multi-user operating systems
> Processing and resources can be shared by multiple users
It is best used where many users need access to the same processing or resources at the same time
Give an examples of Multi-user operating systems
Web servers
What are the five main roles of the operating system
> Networking
Security
Memory Management
Multitasking
Device Driver
Describe TCP/IP stack
It is the set of protocols used for transmitting data over the internet.
What does TCP stand for?
Transmission Control Protocol
What Does IP stand for?
Internet Protocol
Describe the OSI model
Standard model used to explain how computers network
Describe networking
Operating systems simplify networking in a computer. the operating system implements a number of networking technologies.
Describe Device Drivers
An Operating system comes with generic device drives that work with a wide variety of different Peripheral Devices, allowing them to communicate with your computer.
Describe Memory Management
The operating system manages the computers resources, such as its memory.
For memory management, What does the operating system track?
> Which processed to allocate memory to
How much memory to allocate to each process
When to un - allocate memory
Transferring data to the page-file on the HDD temporarily to free RAM
Describe Security
A number of features are commonly built into operating systems to help improve security
What are these Security features?
> User Authentication
Antivirus and Firewall software
Back up facilities
Describe Multitasking
Most operating systems allow you to run more than one application simultaneously.
What does the operating system have to be able to do for multitasking to work?
> allocate resources to each application in order to allow it to complete two or more tasks simultaneously.
What is user interface?
User Interface is the core part of any operating system. It allows the user to interact with the computer system and is the part of the software that has a huge impact on a user in terms of usability.
Name the three main user interfaces
> Command line interface - CLI
Graphical user interface - GUI
Menu-based interface
Describe what a CLI is
CLI The user interacts with the computer by typing in commands in response to prompts displayed on the screen. It stands for Command Line Interface
What does CLI stand for
Command Line Interface
What are two advantages of CLI?
> Experiences users find it quicker to complete tasks
Requires far less memory and processing power than GUI to run
What are two disadvantages of CLI
> Requires knowledge of the specific commands for performing functions
Learning so many commands an be difficult for inexperienced users.
Describe what a GUI is
Users interact with the device by controlling a pointer or touch screen to select icons and menus displayed on screen. GUIs are widely used on devices from PC to smartphones.
What does GUI stand for
> Graphical User Interface
Name ONE example of a GUI
GUIs are widely used on devices from PC to smartphones.
What does WIMPT stand for
W - windows
I - icons
M - menu
P - pointer
T - touch screen
What are two advantages of GUI
> Simple, intuitive method of interacting is easy for beginners to use
It doesn’t require users to learn any commands to perform tasks
What are two disadvantages of GUI
> It is often resource intensive, requiring a lot of processor power and memory
Experiences users can find it frustrating to complete tasks they could perform in CLI with one command.
Describe what a menu-based Interface is
Users interact using a simple menu that presents options to choose from.
Name ONE example of a menu-based interface
An ATM machine
What are two advantages of menu-based interface
> The limited number of options makes it easy to use
it is often possible to figure out how to perform tasks without any instructions
What are two disadvantages of menu-based interface
> Performing tasks can be slow and frustrating where many levels of options must be traversed
What is utility software?
Utility software is used to manage system resources. Utilities are like a tool box to help us optimise and maintain our computer system. Many utilities are pre-installed as part of the operating system, while others may be selected by user and installed.
List the three main types of utility software
Disk Utilities
Network Utilities
Other Utilities
Describe disk utilities
They are designed to maintain the performance of a computer’s disk drive.
