UNIT 3
OPERATING SYSTEM
4º E.S.O.
0. SOFTWARE. CLASSIFICATION.
1. THE OPERATING SYSTEM. FUNCTIONS.
1.1. Functions. Estructure. Types.
1.2. Software distribution.
1.3. Software licences.
0. EL SOFTWARE.
We can define software as the computer’s logical support, consisting of a set of logical
components that make its operation possible. The operating system and the programs
and applications we use are all software.
When a computer is turned on, the first software to start working is the BIOS. Next,
the operating system is loaded and, finally the applications.
• System Software. This is a type of computer software which controls and coordinates
the procedures and functions of computer hardware and applications. It allows
harmonious computing coexistence by carrying out the man in the middle tasks which
provide the platform onto which secondary software is installed and run.
System software can be categorized under the following:
- Operating system: to enable direct communication between hardware, system
programs and other applications.
- Device driver: to enable device communication with the OS and other
applications.
- Utilities: to ensure optimum functionality of devices and applications.
• Application Software. This is a type of computer software meant to accomplish
productive and meaningful tasks for the user. Every single application is designed with
the end user in mind as contrasted with system and programming languages software,
which are concerned with computer management and development.
• Programming Software. This is a set of tools used by programmers to create other
software like Windows OS and Word processing. Also called languages, they are used to
write source codes, debug errors, and maintain and create new software for computers.
• Communication software.
Communication software is
used to provide remote access
to systems and exchange files
and messages in text, audio
and/or video formats between
different computers or users.
This includes terminal
emulators, file transfer
programs, chat and instant
messaging programs.
1. THE OPERATING SYSTEM. FUNCTIONS.
An Operating system (OS) is a software which acts as an
interface between the end user and computer hardware. Every
computer must have at least one OS to run other programs. An
application like Chrome, MS Word, Games, etc. needs some
environment in which it will run and perform its task.
The OS helps you to communicate with the computer without
knowing how to speak the computer's language. It is not
possible for the user to use any computer or mobile device
without having an operating system.
Any type of computer system have four components: user,
applications, operating system and hardware.
1.1. Functions. Estructure. Types.
• Functions. In an operating system software performs each of the function:
- Process management. Process management helps OS to create and delete
processes. It also provides mechanisms for synchronization and communication
among processes.
- Memory management. Memory management module performs the task of
allocation and de-allocation of memory space to programs in need of this
resources.
- File management. It manages all the file-related activities such as organization
storage, retrieval, naming, sharing, and protection of files.
- Device Management. Device management keeps tracks of all devices. This
module also responsible for this task is known as the I/O controller. It also
performs the task of allocation and de-allocation of the devices.
- I/O System Management. One of the main objects of any OS is to hide the
peculiarities of that hardware devices from the user.
- Secondary-Storage Management. Systems have several levels of storage which
includes primary storage, secondary storage, and cache storage. Instructions
and data must be stored in primary storage or cache so that a running program
can reference it.
- Security. Security module protects the data and information of a computer
system against malware threat and authorized access.
- Command interpretation. This module is interpreting commands given by the
and acting system resources to process that commands.
- Networking. A distributed system is a group of processors which do not share
memory, hardware devices, or a clock. The processors communicate with one
another through the network.
- Job accounting. Keeping track of time & resource used by various job and users.
- Communication management: Coordination and assignment of compilers,
interpreters, and another software resource of the various users of the
computer systems.
• Components. The components of an operating system all exist in order to make the
different parts of a computer work together.
- Kernel. The kernel is the central component of a computer operating systems.
The only job performed by the kernel is to the manage the communication
between the software and the hardware. A Kernel is at the nucleus of a
computer. It makes the communication between the hardware and software
possible. While the Kernel is the innermost part of an operating system, a shell
is the outermost one.
- Memory management. This makes sure that a program does not conflict with
memory currently being used by an additional program. Since programs time
share, each program has to have independent access to memory. To puts it
simply, the MMU is in charge of all aspects of memory management. It is
normally integrated right into the CPU, although in some systems it takes up a
separate IC (integrated circuit) chip.
- I/O Device Management. One of the important use of an operating system that
helps the user to hide the variations of specific hardware devices from the user.
Functions of I/O management in the OS:
a) It offers buffer caching system.
b) It provides general device driver code.
c) It provides drivers for particular hardware devices.
d) It helps the user to know the individualities of a specific device.
- File Management. A file is a set of related information
which is should define by its creator. It commonly
represents programs, both source and object forms,
and data. Data files can be numeric, alphabetic, or
alphanumeric. The operating system has the following
important given activities in connections with file
management:
a) File and directory creation and deletion.
b) For manipulating files and directories.
c) Mapping files onto secondary storage.
d) Backup files on stable storage media.
• Classification of operating systems.
- Multi-user: is the one that concede two or more users to use their programs at
the same time. Some of O.S permits hundreds or even thousands of users
simultaneously.
- Single-User: just allows one user to use the programs at one time.
- Multiprocessor: Supports opening the same program more than just in one
CPU.
- Multitasking: Allows multiple programs running at the same time.
- Single-tasking: Allows different parts of a single program running at any one
time.
- Real time: Responds to input instantly.
- Time-Sharing. Time-sharing is a mechanism in which a task is given some time
to execute.
- Distributed. The distributed operating system is a collection of independent
computers and makes them appear to be a single computer.
1.2. Software distribution.
Software Licensing is a critical component in letting others use, copy, modify, and
distribute your software application. The actual software license itself is usually
written in a legal agreement called a software license agreement, where the
publisher grants a license to the end-user, who in turn agrees to the software
publisher’s terms of use.
The main categories of Software licenses are:
• Closed Source Licenses. Also sometimes known as proprietary licenses or
commercial licenses, these are the license types that are usually (but not always)
bought and sold. They typically do not allow modification of the program, or its
distribution.
• Open Source Licenses. In general, open-source software licenses allow the end
user to view and edit and distribute the software and the source code. There are a
few different flavors of open source licenses giving more of less freedom on all of
these attributes.
• Shareware is software that comes with permission to redistribute copies, but says
that anyone who continues to use a copy is required to pay. Shareware is not free
software, or even semi-free. For most shareware, source code is not available; thus,
the program cannot be modified. Shareware does not come with permission to make
a copy and install it without paying a license fee, including for nonprofit activity.
• Freeware. Like shareware, freeware is software available for download and
distribution without any initial payment. Freeware never has an associated fee.
Things like minor program updates and small games are commonly distributed as
freeware. Though freeware is cost free, it is copyrighted, so other people can't
market the software as their own.
• Free software is software that comes with permission for anyone to use, copy and
distribute, either verbatim or with modifications, either gratis or for a fee. In
particular, this means that source code must be available
1.3. Software licences.
A software license is a document that provides legally binding guidelines for the use
and distribution of software.
Software licenses typically provide end users with the right to one or more copies of
the software without violating copyrights. The license also defines the
responsibilities of the parties entering into the license agreement and may impose
restrictions on how the software can be used. Software licensing terms and
conditions usually include fair use of the software, warranties and disclaimers and
protections if the software or its use infringes on the intellectual property rights of
others.
Software licenses typically are either proprietary, free or open source, the
distinguishing feature being the terms under which users may redistribute or copy
the software for future development or use.
According to copyright law and type of licenses, software applications are grouped
into:
• Closed source code, which is generally non-free. Its creator or publisher retains the
intellectual property rights for it. Such software is, as a rule, distributed with a
contract between the owner and user, the so-called end-user license agreement. It
defines the non-negotiable terms under which the software is distributed. Without
accepting these terms, end user can not use the software. One of the most widely
known proprietary software pieces are Microsoft Windows, macOS, iTunes.
• Open source code. A software could be called open source in case its source code
is publicly available and distributed for free for any field of endeavor. All derived
works and modifications of such software should be distributed under the same
terms as the original license’s ones.
Open source software could be distributed under the following licenses:
- Non-protective licenses. These licenses do not protect the code from being used
in non-open source apps and apply no restrictions on the derivatives.
- Protective licenses. Unlike non-protective ones, protective licenses force the
author of derivatives or re-distributor of the software to open the modified code.
Such licenses oblige the derivatives of copyleft license to be placed under
copyleft too. The most popular copyleft license is General Public License (GPL).
It is sometimes referred to as a “viral” license due to its motto: “once free, always
free”.
• Public domain software is any software that has no legal, copyright or editing
restrictions associated with it. It is free and open-source software that can be
publicly modified, distributed or sold without any restrictions.
- The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or simply
GPL) is a series of widely-used free software licenses
that guarantee end users the freedom to run, study,
share, and modify the software.
- The GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) is a free-software license. The
license allows developers and companies to use
and integrate a software component released
under the LGPL into their own (even proprietary)
software without being required by the terms of a
strong copyleft license to release the source code
of their own components.