System Software

Living in a Digital World

Discovering Computers 2010

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System Software

• What is System software?– consists of the programs that control or maintain the

operations of the computer and its devices.– There are two types of system software:

Operating systems

Utility Programs

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Operating Systems

• An operating system (OS) is software that 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 Systems

administer security

start the computer

monitor performance

control a network

provide a user interfacemanage programs

provide file management and other utilities

establish an Internet connection schedule jobs and

configure devices

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Operating System Functions

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

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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A boot drive is the drive from which your computer starts.

• You can boot from a boot disk, which contains a few system files that will start the computer.– Also called a recovery disk


• 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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• What is a user interface?– controls how you enter data and instructions and how

information is displayed on the screen.– There are two main types of user interfaces:

• GUI – graphical user interface• Command Line

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• A graphical user interface (GUI) allows the user to interact with menus and visual images.

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

• They are difficult to use because they require exact spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

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• How an operating system handles programs directly affects your productivity

Single user and multiuser

Single tasking and

multitasking

Foreground and background

Multiprocessing

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• What is multi-tasking?– Working on two or more

programs that reside in memory at same time.

– Foreground• Contains programs you are

currently using.– Background

• Contains programs that are running, but not currently in use.

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• A multiprocessing operating system that is capable of supporting and using more than one processor.

• A multiuser operating system is capable of supporting more than one user at a time.– Many operating systems only service one user at a time. – Some operating systems must handle requests from many users

at the same time.• Web servers, Database servers, DNS servers, File servers, etc…

• Windows Server & Unix operating systems can do both functions.

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• Memory management optimizes the use of RAM.• Virtual memory refers to an operating system borrowing

space from the hard drive when it runs out of space in RAM memory.

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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 systems typically provide a means to establish connections to the Internet, wireless network or other networks.

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

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• MAC OS X – Activity Monitor

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• Operating systems often provide tools for:

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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Types of Operating Systems

• Three categories of operating systems:

Stand-alone

Embedded Network

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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.

Windows Vista Mac OS X

UNIX Linux

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• DOS– Developed in the early 1980s for

personal computers.– Microsoft developed the operating

system for IBM.– No longer used today because it

doesn’t offer a GUI.

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• Windows Vista is Microsoft’s fastest, most efficient operating system to date.– Windows 7 is slated to replace it as Microsoft’s latest

operating system.

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• The Macintosh operating system has set the standard for operating system ease of use.

• Latest version is Mac OS X named “Snow Leopard”.

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• Unix– Used mainly by power

users because if its flexibility and power.

– Primarily used for servers, but available for computers of all sizes.

– Most versions offer a GUI.

– Developed in the early 1970s.

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• Linux– Popular Unix-type

operating system.– Many versions of Linux

are available and most are free.

– Open-source software: code is available to public.

– Created by Linus Torvalds

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Server Operating Systems

Windows Server 2008 UNIX

Linux Solaris

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Server Operating Systems

• Windows Server 2008 is an upgrade to Windows Server 2003.– Operating system used to service the requests of many users.– Web servers, File servers, Database servers, etc…

• 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.

Windows Embedded CE

Windows Mobile Palm OS iPhone OS

Blackberry 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.– Also called a utility.

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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

• Disk defragmenter

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Utility Programs

• A backup utility allows users to copy files or an entire hard disk 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 personal firewall detects and protects a personal computer from unauthorized intrusions.

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Utility Programs

• An anti-virus program detects and protects a computer from computer viruses.

• An anti-spyware program detects and protects a computer from spyware.– Spyware is a program that is placed on a computer without the owner’s

knowledge.

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Utility Programs

• Filters are programs that remove or block certain items from being displayed.

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Web filters

Anti-spam programs

Phishing filters

Pop-up blockers

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Utility Programs

• A file compression utility shrinks the size of a file(s).– Compressing files frees up room on the storage media.

• Compressed files sometimes are called zipped files– Can be uncompressed.– Software is required to compress and uncompress files.

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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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Quote of the day…

"Two things are infinite: the universe and humanstupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."

--Albert Einstein

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System Software