Professional Documents
Culture Documents
• Definition:
– All programs related to coordinating
computer operations
• Components
– Operating System
– Utility programs
– Program language translators
Functions of OS
• Manage the computer’s resources
– CPU
– Memory
– Disk drives
– Printers
• Establish a user interface
• Execute and provide services for applications
software
• Carries out all input and output operation
User Interface
• Facilitates communication between the user and
the operating system
• Two forms
– Command line
• Text-based
• Key commands
• Examples: MS-DOS, Unix
– Graphical user interface (GUI)
• Visual images
• Menus
• Examples: Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Platform
• Definition:
Computer hardware and operating
system software that dictate what other
software can run
• Wintel
Intel-based PC running Microsoft
Windows
OS is Hidden
• User interested in application
software to make the PC
useful
• Application software is
platform specific
• User must be aware of the
type of OS
• User should be aware of the
functions of OS
Types of OS
Command line
Single user PC
Network Operating System (NOS)
MS-DOS
• Command-line interface
• Prompt – system is waiting for you to do
something
• Key a command
• Not user-friendly
Microsoft Windows
• Graphical user
interface
• Eases access to
the OS
• Most new
computers come
with Windows
already installed
GUI
• On-screen pictures
– Icons
– Menus
• Pull down
• Pop up
– Click to activate a
command or function
• Fast
• Easy
• Intuitive
Early Days of Windows
• Backup
• Interfaces with other software
• Networking features
• Security
Windows
Helps reduce the cost of owning and
maintaining a PC
Windows ME
Millennium Edition
Multimedia support -- Windows Media Player 7
• Jukebox
– Record music CDs as digital files
• Windows Movie Maker
– Basic video editing
• Windows Image Acquisition
– Scanner and digital camera
Windows ME
Millennium Edition
• Reliability Features
– System File Protection
– AutoUpdate
– System Restore
• Help Center
• Home Network Support
– Wizard for connecting multiple computers and
peripherals
– Multiple users can share a single Internet
connection
Windows NT
New Technology
• Engineered for stability
• Strong security
• Versions
– NT Workstation
– NT Server
• Drawbacks
– Lacks support for older Windows and MS-DOS
software and hardware
– Complex to learn and use
– Requires more memory and processing power
Windows 2000
• Stability features
• Security features
• Uses simple approach to hardware setup
from Windows 98
• Versions
– Windows 2000 Professional for individual users
– Windows 2000 for network servers
• Was intended for both the corporate and
home use, replacing Win NT and Win 98
Windows 2000
• Complex
• Heavy demand for computer resources
• Improvements over windows NT
– Maintains user preferences
– Self-healing applications software
– Supports Windows 98 file structure
– Uses plug and play
– Provides improved support for laptops
Windows XP
• First
commercially
successful GUI
(1984)
• Served as a
model to other
GUI systems
UNIX
• Supports
– Multi-user
– Time-sharing
• Character-based system
• Command-line interface
• Runs on various processors and many
types of computers
• Primary OS used on Internet servers
LINUX
• UNIX-like OS
• Open-source software
– Download it free
– Make changes
– Distribute copies
– Restriction – any changes must be freely available to the
public
• PC Setup
– PC comes with Windows installed
– Install LINUX in a dual-boot configuration
LINUX
• Disadvantage
– Scarcity of applications
Network Operating System
NOS
• Designed to permit computers on a network
to share resources
• Examples
– Windows 2000 Server
– Novell Net Ware
• Provides
– Data security
– Troubleshooting
– Administrative control
NOS Functions
• Split between client and server computers
• Server
– File management
• Client
– Requests to the server
– Messaging
– Has own local OS
• Makes the resources appear as if they are
local to the client’s computer