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Your Interactive Guide to the Digital World

Discovering � Computers 2012

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System Software

  • System software consists of the programs that control or maintain the operations of the computer and its devices

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Operating systems

Utility Programs

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Operating Systems

  • An operating system (OS) is a set of programs containing instructions that work together to coordinate all the activities among computer hardware resources

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Start and shut down a computer

Provide a user interface

Manage programs

Manage memory

Coordinate tasks

Configure devices

Establish an Internet connection

Monitor performance

Provide utilities

Automatically update

Control a network

Administer security

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Operating System Functions

  • The process of starting or restarting a computer is called booting

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Cold boot

    • Turning on a computer that has been powered off completely

Warm boot

    • Using the operating system to restart a computer

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Operating System Functions

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A boot drive is the drive from which your computer starts

    • You can boot from a boot disk
    • A recovery disk contains a few system files that will start the computer

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Operating System Functions

  • An operating system includes various shut down options

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Sleep mode saves any open documents and programs to RAM, turns off all unneeded functions, and then places the computer in a low-power state

Hibernate saves any open documents and programs to a hard disk before removing power from the computer

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Operating System Functions

  • A user interface controls how you enter data and instructions and how information is displayed on the screen
  • With a graphical user interface (GUI), you interact with menus and visual images

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Operating System Functions

  • With a command-line interface, a user uses the keyboard to enter data and instructions

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Operating System Functions

  • Memory management optimizes the use of RAM
  • Virtual memory is a portion of a storage medium(HDD or SSD) functioning as additional RAM

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Operating System Functions

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A driver is a small program that tells the operating system how to communicate with a specific device

Plug and Play automatically configures new devices as you install them

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Operating System Functions

  • Operating systems typically provide a means to establish Internet connections

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Operating System Functions

  • A performance monitor is a program that assesses and reports information about various computer resources and devices

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Operating System Functions

  • Operating systems often provide users with the capability of:

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Managing files

Searching for files

Viewing images

Securing a computer

Uninstalling programs

Cleaning up disks

Defragmenting disks

Diagnosing problems

Backing up files and disks

Setting up screen savers

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Operating System Functions

  • Automatic update automatically provides updates to the program

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Operating System Functions

  • Some operating systems are designed to work with a server on a network
  • A server operating system organizes and coordinates how multiple users access and share resources on a network
  • A network administrator uses the server operating system to:
    • Add and remove users, computers, and other devices
    • Install software and administer network security

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Types of Operating Systems

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

  • A stand-alone operating system is a complete operating system that works on a desktop computer, notebook computer, or mobile computing device

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Windows

11

Mac OS X

UNIX

Linux

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

  • Windows 11 is Microsoft’s fastest, most efficient operating system to date.

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

  • The Macintosh operating system has set the standard for operating system ease of use
  • Latest version is Mac OS Monterey

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

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UNIX is a multitasking operating system developed in the early 1970s

Linux is an open-source, popular, multitasking UNIX-type operating system

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Server Operating Systems

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Windows Server 2008

UNIX

Linux

Solaris

NetWare

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Server Operating Systems

  • Windows Server 2008 is an upgrade to Windows �Server 2003
    • Part of the Windows Server 2008 family
    • Multiple editions
  • Most editions include Hyper-V, a virtualization technology
    • Virtualization is the practice of sharing or pooling computing resources

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Embedded Operating Systems

  • An embedded operating system resides on a ROM chip on a mobile device or consumer electronic device

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Windows Embedded CE

Windows Phone 7

Palm OS

iPhone OS

BlackBerry

Google Android

Embedded Linux

Symbian OS

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Embedded Operating Systems

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Utility Programs

  • A utility program is a type of system software that allows a user to perform maintenance-type tasks

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Utility Programs

  • A file manager is a utility that performs functions related to file management
    • Displaying a list of files
    • Organizing files in folders
    • Copying, renaming, deleting, moving, and sorting files and folders
    • Creating shortcuts

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Utility Programs

  • A search utility is a program that attempts to locate a file on your computer based on criteria you specify

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Utility Programs

  • An image viewer allows users to display, copy, and print the contents of a graphics file
  • An uninstaller removes a program, as well as any associated entries in the system files

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Utility Programs

  • A disk cleanup utility searches for and removes unnecessary files
    • Downloaded program�files
    • Temporary Internet�files
    • Deleted files
    • Unused program�files

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Utility Programs

  • A disk defragmenter reorganizes the files and unused space on a computer’s hard disk so that the operating system accesses data more quickly and programs run faster
    • Defragmenting

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Utility Programs

  • A backup utility allows users to copy files to another storage medium
  • A restore utility reverses the process and returns backed up files to their original form

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Utility Programs

  • A screen saver causes a display device’s screen to show a moving image or blank screen if no activity occurs for a specified time
  • A personal firewall detects and protects a personal computer from unauthorized intrusions

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Utility Programs

  • A media player allows you to view images and animation, listen to audio, and watch video files on your computer

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Utility Programs

  • Disc burning software writes text, graphics, audio, and video files on a recordable or rewritable optical disc

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Utility Programs

  • A personal computer maintenance utility identifies and fixes operating system problems, detects and repairs disk problems, and includes the capability of improving a computer’s performance

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Summary

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Definition of an operating system

Functions common to most operating systems

Variety of stand-alone operating systems, server operating systems, and embedded operating systems

Several utility programs