System Software

System Software

1. Operating system

   • User Interface
     • GUI
       • graphical user interface
       • where items are used to navigate the OS
       • application features are accessible through the use of menus. users interact with the interface by using a mouse and on-screen pointer.
     • command line interface
       • where a command is used to find a specific area of the network
       • require little processing power and are extremely powerful, but are difficult to use.
     • mobile user interface
       • similar in many ways to GUIs, except that they respond to touch. Fingers are used to open programs and interact with them.
   • multi-tasking
     • to be able to run more than one program simultaneously
     • only possible if: the operating system can support multitasking. the computer has enough memory to hold more than one program in primary memory at the same time
   • memory management
     • Computer memory must be managed to ensure that: more than one program can run at the same time. more than one document can be opened at the same time
     • Paging is a method of managing memory. It divides memory up into small blocks known as pages and allocates enough pages to hold a program.
   • peripherals and drivers
     • Peripherals are hardware devices connected to a computer, such as a monitor, printer, scanner or camera.
     • Operating systems use device drivers to control peripherals
     • the operating system uses a program called a device driver
       • Device drivers contain instructions on how to control a device. Each connected device has its own driver.
   • File handling
     • allows users to: create, modify and delete files and folders copy and duplicate files and folders move files and folders rename files and folders sort items into different orders, according to name, file type, date created and more search for particular files and folders restore deleted files set access rights to files such as read only or edit
   • user management
     • They allow: individual users to be created and deleted access levels to be given to users, such as administrator rights or standard user rights auditing (keeping a log) of files a user creates, accesses, edits and deletes

2. Utility Software

   • helps maintain the system by using (the headings in bold)
   • Encryption software
     • disguises the contents of files so they can only be understood by authorised users ( put in complex algorythms)
   • Disc defragmentation
     • Sometimes the segments run together in sequence and sometimes the segments are split up over a disk. This is known as fragmentation.
     • Over time, more and more files become fragmented, as do individual files. A fragmented disk takes longer to read from and write to, making a computer run slower.
     • Defragmentation software takes the fragmented files and rearranges the segments so that they run contiguously. This decreases read/write time, thereby speeding up computer performance
   • Data compression
     • Compression software reduces the size of a file stored on secondary storage. Smaller files are easier to transmit across a network as they require fewer packets to be sent. Their reduced size also means more files can be stored in any given area of storage.
   • Backups
     • full backup
       • a copy of every file on the computer or network. They can require a lot of storage space and can be time consuming to make.
     • incremental backup
       • take a copy of any new files created since the last backup, or of any files that have been edited, such as user documents.