Ch12

Question 1

What is included in system software

Answer 1

BIOS
Operating system
System Utilities

Question 2

What is BIOS

Answer 2

Basic Input/Output System - tells the computer to load the operating system files

Question 3

Where is BIOS stored

Answer 3

ROM - Read Only Memory.
-cannot be modified

Question 4

Function of Operating System

Answer 4

Controls the interaction between Application software with hardware by allocating resources
-includes managers and user interface

Question 5

Define Application software

Answer 5

Any program that runs on the computer

Question 6

What is API

Answer 6

Application programming interface - bridges the gap between the OS + Application Software

Question 7

A factor of a successful OS

Answer 7

The reliability of the link between OS and hardware

Question 8

Name 2 user interfaces:

Answer 8

GUI - graphical user interface
CLI - command line interface

Question 9

What is a GUI

Answer 9

A user interface that relies on windows, icons, menus and pointers

Question 10

Advantages of GUI

Answer 10

-Aesthetic
-Intuitive

Question 11

Disadvantages of GUI

Answer 11

-cannot access all settings
-Takes more storage

Question 12

What is a CLI

Answer 12

A user interface where users type in commands to control the computer.

Question 13

Disadvantage of a CLI

Answer 13

-Need to know commands to use
-Not intuitive

Question 14

Advantage of a CLI

Answer 14

-All settings can be accessed
-Takes up less storage
-Quicker to access

Question 15

What are peripheral devices

Answer 15

Hardware devices connected to the computer
-Eg. mouses, speakers

Question 16

What is driver software

Answer 16

Links the OS with peripherals

Question 17

Name the 4 managers in the OS

Answer 17

Peripheral
Memory+Multitasking
User
File

Question 18

Memory Manager function

Answer 18

-Allocates CPU processing time and ram storage
-If RAM is filled, it will create a swap file in secondary storage
-moves application data to main memory when in use and removes when not.

Question 19

Peripheral manager function:

Answer 19

-Installs and updates driver software
-communicates to hardware using drivers
-Holds peripheral device usage requests in buffer memory until it can be processed.

Question 20

User manager function:

Answer 20

-Controls user access to files + settings.
-Security measures to prevent access to non-intended user such as password.

Question 21

File manager

Answer 21

-Manages data storage on the computer
-Creates, names, saves, copies, deletes, moves files

Question 22

Utility software function:

Answer 22

Helps to optimize the computer’s performance

Question 23

what is included in US software

Answer 23

-Encryption software
-Defragmentation
-Compression tools
-Backup software

Question 24

define process of degragmenting

Answer 24

-Rearranges the data into contiguous blocks.
-This reduces the mechanical movement the discs need to do to retrieve the data.
-This speeds up loading process

Question 25

Why can't you defragment SSD's

Answer 25

Have no moving parts so having fragmented files do not slow down the loading process.

Question 26

Why are files fragmented

Answer 26

-Data is saved on the disk on the first segment available. ---This means files are split across different parts of the disc

Question 27

Define lossless compression

Answer 27

Reduced a file's size by removing redundancies. Original can be retrieved

Question 28

Define lossy compression

Answer 28

Converts image files into smaller files by reducing pixel resolution and color depth.

Question 29

Define a swap file

Answer 29

Temporary memory used in the secondary storage because the RAM if full. They run slower though.