SYSTEMS
SOFTWARE
The Power Behind the Power
By Brijida Charizma A. Navarro
Systems Software
Programs related
to coordinating
computer
operations
Types of System Software
Operating System – a set of programs
that lies between applications software
and the computer hardware.
Utility Programs – generally used to
support, enhance or expand existing
programs in a computer system.
Language Translators – software that
translates a program into machine
language.
Operating System (OS)
USER
APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE (Wordprocessor,
Spreadsheets, DBMS, Games, etc.)
SYSTEMS SOFTWARE (Utility Programs, OS,
Language Translators)
Functions of OS
Booting
Housekeeping tasks
User Interface
Managing computer resources
Managing files
Managing taks
Booting
The process of loading an Operating system into the
computer’s main memory
Bootstrap Loader or boot routine – program that
accomplished the booting process
Diagnostic Routine – start up and test the main
memory, the CPU and other parts of the system to
make sure they are running perfectly
BIOS (Basic Input Output System) – stored in the
main memory to help the computer interpret
keyboard characters or transmit characters to the
screen or to the diskette.
Housekeeping Tasks
Ex. Formatting
diskettes
Displays
information about
OS version
Displays disk
space
User Interface
part of the OS that allows you to
communicate, or interact with it.
Types of User Interfaces
Command Driven – requires you to enter
a command by typing in codes or words.
Menu Driven – allows you to choose a
command from a menu.
Graphical – uses images to represent
options.
Managing Computer Resources
Behind the user interface, the OS acts like
a police officer directing traffic.
Supervisor (Kernel) – central component
of the OS; manages the CPU; resides in
main memory while the computer is on
and directs other programs to perform
tasks to support application programs.
Managing Computer Resources
Manages memory – it keeps track of the
locations within the main memory where
the programs and data are stored
Ways on how OS manages memory
Partitioning
Foreground and background
Managing Tasks
A computer is required to perform many different
tasks at once.
Ways OS manages tasks
Multitasking – executing more than one
program concurrently (not simultaneously) on
the same computer with one central processor.
- OS directs CPU to spend predetermined
amount of time executing the instructions for
each program, one at a time.
Managing Tasks
Ways OS manages tasks
Multiprogramming – execution of two or
more programs on a multiuser OS.
- CPU spends a certain amount of time
executing each user’s program
Timesharing – round robin processing for
several users.
- used when several users are linked by a
communication network to a single
computer
Managing Tasks
Ways OS manages tasks
Timesharing – done through time slicing
- computer rapidly switch back and forth
among different tasks .
- computer spends a fixed amount of time
to each program before going on to the
next one.
Managing Tasks
Ways OS manages tasks
Multiprocessing – simultaneous
processing done by two or more
computers or processors linked together to
perform work simultaneously
- more sophisticated than multitasking
- can be done in several ways –
coprocessing and parallel processing
Managing Tasks
Ways OS manages tasks
Multiprocessing
Coprocessing – the controlling CPU
works together with specialized
microprocessors (coprocessor), each of
which handles a particular task
parallel processing - several full-fledged
CPUs work together on the same tasks
sharing memory
Managing Files
OS allows user to find data and programs
located in many places on your harddisk
and other secondary storage devices.
OS allows you to move, rename, copy or
delete a file
SUMMARY
BOOTING Loads OS into main memory
Use diagnostic routine to test
system for equipment failure
Stores BIOS program in main
memory
HOUSE- Formats disks
KEEPING Displays information about OS
TASKS Displays disk space available
SUMMARY
USER Provides a way for user to
INTERFACE interact with the OS – can be
command driven, menu driven
or graphical
MANAGING Via the supervisor, manages
COMPUTER the CPU and directs other
RESOURCES programs to perform tasks to
support application programs
Memory management
Swapping – moves data and
programs between main and
secondary memory
SUMMARY
MANAGING Copies files from one disk to
FILES another
Backs up files
Erases (deletes) files
Renames files
MANAGING Maybe able to perform
TASKS multitasking, multiprogramming,
timesharing or multi processing
Reference:
Using Information Technology (A Practical
Introduction to Computers and
Communication 2nd Ed.)
by Williams, Sawyer and Hutchinson