Systems Software

Systems Software

1. Operating Systems

   • Role of the Operating System
     • Communicate with hardware via device drivers.
     • Provide a user interface so the user and computer can interact.
     • Platform for different programs to run.
     • Give the computer the ability to multi-task
     • File Management
       • Organising data into a usable hierarchical structure.
       • Moving, editing, deleting files.
       • Hard disk management
         • Splits the disk into storage sectors.
         • Tracks free space on the disk
         • Decides which sectors to write data to
   • User Account Management
     • Single user vs multi-user
       • Single user only allows one person to access the computer at a given moment e.g. Windows 10.
       • Multi-user can give multiple people access at once.
         • e.g. mainframes and servers
     • User Access
       • Password protections
       • Anti-theft measures to stop hackers
       • Controlling user access levels.

2. Device drivers

   • Act as a translator between the peripheral and the computer.
   • When a device is connected, the OS chooses the appropriate driver.
     • If it doesn't exist, the driver will be installed.
   • Updates are frequently made for bug patches, adding features or improving performance.
     • Automatically by the OS or manually.