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SYLLABUS 

  • functions of an operating system 11 ATAR, 12 GEN

VOCABULARY

  • operating system = 'hidden' software that interacts between the hardware and the application software, helps a user use the computer
  • OS = Operating System

DETAILS

1. To provide a user interface

  • to allow user to input data and how information is displayed on the screen
  • Graphical User Interface (GUI) has menus and visual images
  • GUI has links and buttons
  • Command Line Interface (CLI) the keyboard is used to enter data
  • CLI users use normal keys on the keyboard but also function keys 
  • CLI requires exact spellings (no spell check)
  • CLI input = set of command language

2. To manage system resources

  • the operating system manages resources by controlling what can start up and what should stop
  • the secret to doing this is Random Access Memory (RAM)
  • when the OS starts a process, it is allocated RAM
  • when another process is started it is allocated RAM
  • when the computer system runs out of RAM, the processes run slower, or the computer can 'crash'
  • the OS uses virtual memory on the main disk drive (to make up bigger memory allocations)
  • this virtual memory swapping is called page swap
  • in this setup, part of a program may be in RAM and also part on the disk drive as a page swap
  • to coordinate different tasks such as printing several documents from different users, an OS  places these in a buffer for printing one after the other
  • a buffer is a place in memory

3. To manage security and access rights

  • an operating system can allow access to, or deny access to, a computer
  • an operating system allocates rights to particular users based on administrator requirements
  • it can give access to all, or some, network resources such as hardware, software, data and information

4. To run applications

  • an operating system provides users the opportunity to start applications
  • when an application is started it is placed into RAM
  • microsoft word, adobe photoshop are examples of applications
  • when a user shuts down an application, it is the operating system that removes it from RAM, to free up RAM ready for another application 

FOR YOU TO DO

  1. Complete the attached worksheet using the DETAILS above.

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