OPERATING SYSTEMS

OPERATING SYSTEMS

1. User interfaces

   • Graphical interface, this is very visual and interactive. it is better for beginners
   • Command line interface, this is very text based and efficient, and uses scripts for advanced users.
   • Menu driven interfaces, this is used on cashpoints, and becoming more popular. There is a single option at each stage.
   • Natural language interface, this is like Siri on Iphones. it responds to questions in the spoken language, but isn't always reliable.

2. Multi-tasking

   • You can have two or more things open and they can both run because they are using a separate time slice.
   • This means you can have a word document open, and listen to music at the same time.
   • When instructions are executed, they take up part of the RAM.
   • Over time, the memory becomes fragmented, because the programs are opened and closed repeatedly, affecting the memory.

3. Device drive

   • This is a way of changing the instructions from the operating system into something the computer can understand and follow.

4. Back-up

   • Full backup is when everything is copied, every file on the device.
   • Incramental backup is when only files that have changed since the last save are copied.

5. Data storage

   • Data is stored in files, an extension to the file name tells the computer which application to load the file onto.
   • In these files, you can rename them, move them, and delete them.

6. Different utilities

   • Encryption is a way of changing plain text into scrambled text.
   • Compression changes numbers to binary to free disk space, and to make online things load faster, eg Youtube.
   • Backup utilities take copies of data saved on a device.
   • Defragmentation re-organises files on a hard disk, and puts free space together to collect free space.

7. Application Software

   • These are used to get a task done, and reach the hardware.
   • It gives a place for the application software and user interface to run.
   • There are many added utilities to help this run, and help protect the memory from damage.