1.5 - Systems software Flashcards
1
Q
What is systems software?
A
Software that governs the computer system
2
Q
What’s the purpose of systems software?
A
- Controls the hardware, including any peripherals
- Allows applications to run
- Provides a user interface
- Maintains the system
3
Q
What are the types of systems software?
A
- Operating systems
- Utilities
4
Q
What is an operating system?
A
The software that manages the hardware and software resources in a computer system + provides the user interface
5
Q
Name some roles of the operating system
A
- Controlling hardware components
- Providing a platform for software to run on
- Providing a user interface
- Has multitasking facilities
- Managing the computer’s memory
- Managing peripherals
- Managing files
- Managing users
6
Q
Give some examples of operating systems:
A
- Microsoft Windows
- Apple OS X
- Linux
- IOS
7
Q
What is a user interface?
A
A program, or suite of programs that allows a user to interact with a computer
8
Q
What are the types of user interface?
A
- GUI (or WIMP)
- CLI
- Mobile UI
- Menu driven interface
- Sound interface
9
Q
What does GUI stand for?
A
Graphical user interface
10
Q
What does WIMP stand for?
A
Windows
Icons
Menus
Pointers
11
Q
What does CLI stand for?
A
Command line interface
12
Q
What does Mobile UI stand for?
A
Mobile user interface
13
Q
What is a graphical user interface?
A
- All objects are represented by icons
—> Icons represent functions - Right clicking brings up content sensitive menus
- Different shaped pointers have different uses
14
Q
How do users interact with a GUI?
A
By a mouse and on screen pointer
15
Q
Give some advantages of using GUI?
A
- Powerful
- Easy to use
16
Q
Give some disadvantages of using GUI?
A
- Requires a lot of processing power
- Needs more RAM
- Slow for experienced programmers
17
Q
What is a command line interface?
A
- All user commands must be typed in as text
- No graphics
18
Q
Give some advantages of using CLI?
A
- Quicker for expert users who know the commands
- Takes less space on the disk and in RAM
- Needs less memory to function
19
Q
Give some disadvantages of using CLI?
A
- Users require training to understand the commands
- More difficult to present the user with options for commands
- Users will generally need to memorise CLI commands
20
Q
Give an example of a CLI:
A
DOS
21
Q
What does DOS stand for?
A
Disk Operating System
22
Q
What is a menu interface?
A
User is offered a menu
—> Can choose an option from it
23
Q
Give some advantages of using Menu interface?
A
- Very easy to use
- Doesn’t need a lot of processing power
- You don’t need to learn/remember the commands
24
Q
Give some disadvantages of using Menu interface?
A
- May be slow to use
25
Give an example where **menu interfaces** are used:
Cashpoint ATMS
26
What is a **mobile interface**?
* Similar to GUI but responds to touch
* Fingers are used to open programs and interact with them
* Gestures: swiping (for scrolling) and pinching (resizing)
27
Where are **Mobile UIs** found?
Smartphones & Tablets
28
What type of interface is this?
GUI
29
What type of interface is this?
CLI
30
What type of interface is this?
Mobile UI
31
What does **multitasking** mean?
To be able to run more than one program simultaneously
32
Why does **computer memory** need to be managed?
* More than one program can run at the same time
* More than one document can be opened at the same time
33
What does **file handling** allow the user to do?
* Create, modify and delete files and folders
* Copy and duplicate files and folders
* Move files and folders
* Rename files and folder, sort items into different orders, according to name, file type, date created and more
search for particular files and folders
* Restore deleted files
* Set access rights to files such as read only or edit
34
How does the OS do **user management**?
* Individual users to be created and deleted
* Access levels to be given to users, such as administrator rights or standard user rights
* Keeping a log of files a user creates, accesses, edits and deletes
35
What is the **device driver**?
Software that controls and communicates with peripherals
36
What is the *purpose* of the **device driver**?
Translates the OS' instructions into a format the specific hardware can understand
37
What is a **Peripheral**?
An external device connected to a computer system to input or output data
38
What is used to **temporarily store data** until it can be *processed*?
A buffer
39
What's the advantages of using *device drivers*?
* Any device can be used with the operating system (as long as a driver is available for it)
* Drivers can be updated, usually to give better performance or to remove a bug
40
Give some examples of *utility softwares*
* Encryption software
* Defragmentation software
* Data compression software
* Backup software
41
What was the purpose of **utility software**?
* Provides extra functionality that make it easier to use
* Configure & maintains computer
42
What is **utility software**?
Dedicated programs used for the maintenance & organisation of a computer system
43
What is the purpose of **Encryption software**?
Disguises the contents of files so they can only be understood by authorised users
44
What's the purpose of **Automatic backups**?
Regular copies of the data are be made
45
What's the purpose of **Defragmentation software**?
Takes fragmented files and rearranges segments so that they can run continuously
46
When does **fragmentation** occur?
When there is limited contiguous space in which to store a file:
* Data may be stored then deleted on the hard drive
* New files may be bigger than spaces left by deleted files
* New files are split up
47
How does **defragmentation** work?
Empty spaces are collected together on the hard disk drive & file fragments are moved together to be stored together
---> Fewer disk accesses are needed
48
What is a **problem** with **fragmented files**?
Increases access time - Takes longer to read & load bc of distance between fragments of the file
49
What are the *effects* of **defragmentation** on a file?
* Takes less time to read & access --> Data is stored contiguously
* Quicker to save new files
50
Why does a file **take less time to read & access** when it has been **defragmented**?
Read/ write head of hard drive doesn't need to move as far to read the next piece of data bc it's in the adjacent memory location
51
Why is it **quicker to save new files** when a file has been **defragmented**?
There is more free space together so it doesn't need to split the file & can store the data contiguously
52
What are the **advantages** of **Defragmentation software**?
* Reduces performance time
* Frees up space
53
What's the purpose of **compression software**?
* Reduces the size of a file stored on secondary storage
* Allows utilities (e.g. WinZip) enables users to compress & decompress files/folders
54
What are the **advantages** of **compression software**?
* Reduces bandwidth usage & data compression
* Increases the amount of data that can be stored/ archived on a disk
* Can enable files to fit with strict email attachments
