System Software

Provides GUI Manages the resources of the computer system Defines the Software Platform Components of System Software

Operating system - controls the use of hardware resources, External and Internal

Utilities --supplement the system Device Drivers - control peripheral devices

Operating System

RTOS Single User/Single tasking Single User/Multi-tasking Multi-User

Popular OS DOS Windows 3.x (operating environments) 1990

3.0, 3.1, 3.11 Windows 95 (improved GUI, more efficient multitasking) 1995 Windows 98 (more internet integration, easier to add devices (Upgrade to

Windows 95) 1998 Windows ME 2000 (upgrade to WIndows98) Windows XP 2001 Windows NT (designed for networks looks just like Windows) 1996 Windows 2000 (faster performance, networking version (Server family), start

menu displays only apps use most frequently), preview multimedia files in

Windows before opening) 2000 Windows Vista (Longhorn) Released to general public (2007) Unix, Linux Network OS (NOS) Windows NT Server, Windows 2000 Server, UNIX,

Linux, Solaris Embedded (Palm OS, Windows CE)

Editions Starter Home Basic Home Premium Business Enterprise Ultimate

(Need 1 GB to 2 GB of memory)

Price ranges from $130-300(upgrades)

$260-500(full version) Aero Graphics

Change saturation, color, and level of transparency

Vista, A First Look…A redesigned Start Menu in Windows Vista lets users start typing the name of the application they wish to open.

Treeview

Easier to

Navigate

without all

those

Submenus

Searching Files

A First Look…

The Pictures and Video folder in Windows Vista contains new information about a picture, including the type of camera used and a user-assigned rating.

Parental Control Options

Operating System

A set of programs containing instructions that coordinate all activities among hardware resources Allows you to run applications software Some applications run on multiple platforms

(cross-platform) Kernel Memory-resident

TerminologySoftware PlatformCross-PlatformMemory residentSingle User/Single TaskingMulti TaskingMulti UserMulti ProcessingFault Tolerant Systems

Features of an Operating System

Memory Mgt (optimize RAM) VM (Virtual Memory) Swap File, Paging, Thrashing

Handling Print Jobs Buffer, Spooling, Print Spooler

Configuring Devices Monitoring System Performance Security

Booting a Computer Power Supply CPU chip resets itself and looks for the BIOS ROM (basic input

output system) BIOS executes the POST(power on self test) Results are compared to CMOS BIOS looks for boot program that holds the OS Boot program is executed and loads the kernel of the OS OS takes control OS loads registry (configuration information), device drivers are

loaded Remainder of OS is loaded, icons appear , Start UP folder is

executed and display is set