Lecture 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 basic elements of Operating systems?

A

Processor
Main memory
System Bus
I/O Modules

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2
Q

What is a computer program?

A

Instructions to make a computer do something

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3
Q

What is a computer programming/scripting?

A

Computer programming is the process of writing or editing source code

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4
Q

What is software development?

A

Writing computer programs.

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5
Q

What is an algorithm?

A

An ordered set of unambiguous, executable steps that defines a terminating process.

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6
Q

what is a computer?

A

A computer consists of a CPU, memory, hard disk, monitor, printer, and
communication devices.

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7
Q

What is the system bus?

A

The System Bus Provides for communication among processors, main
memory, and I/O modules

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8
Q

What are storage devices?

A

Programs and data are permanently stored on storage devices and are
moved to memory when the computer actually uses them.
Disk drives (hard disks)
– CD/DVD ROM drives (Recordable, Re-Writable, double layer e.t.c.),
– Tape drives.

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9
Q

Differnce between RAM and ROM

A

Memory (RAM) is volatile, because information is lost when the power is off

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10
Q

Why do we need memory? (rom&ram)

A

Memory is to store data and program instructions for CPU to execute.

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11
Q

What is a memory unit?

A

A memory unit is an ordered sequence of bytes, each holds eight bits. A program
and its data must be brought to memory before they can be executed.

A memory byte is never empty, but its initial content may be meaningless.
 The current content of a memory byte is lost whenever new information is placed in
it.

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12
Q

What is cache memory?

A

• Invisible to the OS
• Interacts with other memory management hardware
• Processor must access memory at least once per instruction
cycle
• Processor execution is limited by memory cycle time
• Exploit the principle of locality with a small, fast memory

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13
Q

What does the CPU do?

A

Central Processing Unit- It retrieves instructions from memory and executes them.

Measured in Megahertz (MHz), with 1 MHz = 1 million pulses per second.

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14
Q

What is a processor?

A

Controls the operation of the computer
Performs the data processing functions
Referred as CPU

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15
Q

What is a Network Interface Card(NIC) ?

A

A Network Interface Card (NIC) is a device to connect a computer to a
Local Area Network (LAN). A typical type of NIC, can transfer data through
an Ethernet cable at 10-100 Mbps

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16
Q

What are input devices?

A

Input devices are devices that a user can interact with a computer by giving instructions to a program or directly to the OS.

Keyboards,
Mouse

17
Q

What are the three techniques for I/O operations?

A

Programmed I/O

Interrupt-Driven I/O

Direct Memory Access (DMA)

18
Q

What is a low-level language (machine language)?

A

Uses 1s and 0s to create instructions example binary language (100100111)

19
Q

What is a middle level language (assembly language)?

A
Uses mnemonics to create instructions
Assembly language (ADD A,  B)
20
Q

What is a high level language?

A

The high-level languages are English-like and easy to learn and program.

JAVA, C, C++

21
Q

What is machine language? and its cons?

A

Machine language is a set of primitive instructions built into every
computer.
instructions in binary code

cons?
Tedious process.
Highly difficult to read and modify

22
Q

What is Assembly language?

A

developed to make programming easier.

Since the computer cannot understand assembly language, however, a
program called assembler is used to convert assembly language programs
into machine code

23
Q

What is source code?

A

A program written in a high-level language is called a source program and includes source code.

24
Q

What is a compiler?

A

Since a computer cannot understand a source program, a program called
a compiler is used to translate the source program into a machine
language program called an object program.

25
Q

What are the two steps in instruction execution?

A

1) Processor reads (fetches) instructions from memory

2) Processor executes each instruction