Computer-Notes (2)
Software is the set of computer programs that are
required for the effective running and operating of the
computer system.
The step wise instructions that are given to the
computer are called programs.
There are two types of software’s:
System software
It manages the hardware and software resources.
Application software
These are the set of instructions given to a computer in
order to perform a specific task.
Operating system manages hardware and software
resources. It acts as a link between the hardware and
software. It manages and keeps a record of the
execution of all the programs present in the computer
including application programs and all other system
software’s.
A language processor is a kind of system software. As
the computer cannot understand our language, it has
translators that convert our language to machine
language. It has a assembler, compiler and an
interpreter.
The process of loading the operating system is called
booting.
The operating system helps us to communicate with
the computer system. Without any operating system
we cannot use any system software such as word
processing software and spreadsheet software or any
other kind of application software. It makes the
computer user friendly. It helps us to use computer’s
resources effectively and efficiently.
The operating system is known as the backbone of the
computer system as it performs the following basic
tasks:
Recognising input from the keyboard.
Sending output to the monitor.
Keeping a record of all data files and hard drives.
Controlling all the other connected devices such as
disk drives and printers and scanners.
Two mobile operating systems are Android and Apple
IOS.
Symbian operating system was popular smart phone
operating system in 2010.
Functions of operating system
Process management
File management
Device management
User interface
Memory management
Types of operating systems
Operating systems based on the basis of user interface
Command line interface
Graphical user interface
Operating system based on the number of users:
Single-user operating system
These kinds of operating system support one user only.
These computers provide facilities that are to be used
only by one user and only by one system. The single
user could use multiple programs at the same time only
on one system. For example Windows X.
Multi-user operating system
These kinds of operating systems could be used by
multiple users at the same time. The advantage is that
the multiple users could use the resources at the same
time simultaneously. For example UNIX and Linux.
On the bases of tasks the operating systems are
classified into:
Single tasking operating system is designed in
such a way that a single user could perform a
single task at a time effectively. Example-
M.S.D.O.S
Multi-tasking operating systems do multiple tasks
at the same time. For example Windows and Apple
MacOS.
Time sharing operating system helps people
situated at different terminals to use a single
computer system at the same time.
A real time operating system is used for real time
applications where data processing is to be done in
small or fixed quantum of time. For example pc’s
used for military work.
Distributed computer systems provide multiple
processors to its multiple users at the same time in
order to provide them with very fast computing
facilities.
Network operating system runs on a server and
provides the capability to serve to manage data
and other networking facilities.
Definitions
Command line interface
It is a kind of operating system that uses text command
in order to interact with the computer.
Graphical user interface
It is a kind of operating system that uses icons,
graphics and videos in order to display information.
Desktop
It is the first screen that you see after booting. It is the
place where all icons are displayed and where different
programs run.