Download Software2 OPERATING SYSTEMS SOL

EXERCISE 2 OPERATING SYSTEMS
1. What operating system you have installed on your home computer? What
about school?
At school:
MAX 7.5 (a GNU/LINUX Distribution) and a virtual machine of WINDOWS 7
2. Write at least the name of 5 different operating systems.
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DOS - Disk Operating System - one of the first operating systems for the
personal computer. (It was not very "user friendly" )
Windows - The Windows operating system, a product of Microsoft, is a
GUI (graphical user interface) operating system. This type of "user
friendly" operating system is said to have WIMP features:
o Windows
o Icons
o Menus
o Pointing device (mouse)
MacOS - Macintosh, a product of Apple, has its own operating system
with a GUI and WIMP features.
Unix - Linux (the PC version of Unix) - Unix and Linux were originally
created with a command-line interface, but recently have added GUI
enhancements.
Android is a mobile operating system (OS) currently developed by
Google, based on the Linux kernel and designed primarily for
touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
3. Explain why Microsoft operating system is called Windows.
Microsoft works on the first version of a new operating system. Interface
Manager is the code name and is considered as the final name, but Windows
prevails because it best describes the boxes or computing “windows” that are
fundamental to the new system. Windows is announced in 1983, but it takes a
while to develop. Skeptics call it “vaporware.”
On November 20, 1985, two years after the initial announcement, Microsoft
ships Windows 1.0. Now, rather than typing MS-DOS commands, you just move
a mouse to point and click your way through screens, or “windows.” Bill Gates
says, “It is unique software designed for the serious PC user.”
3. Indicate the 4 freedoms of free software.
When you speak about Free Software, you speak about freedom. And more
precisely, about the four freedoms to use, study, share and improve the
software. Thanks to an analogy to a recipe, it becomes quite clear how these
freedoms work and why it is important that the source code of a program is
available to everyone.
4. Why do you think Windows so strongly dominates the market for PC
operating systems?
Microsoft currently has around 90 percent share of the client operating system
market with Windows, and while its dominance of the desktop client OS market
is expected to continue.
I think it is due to the following:
1) Historically Apple developing its operating systems at the same time with
high-quality hardware equipment of course but they are extremely expensive
,especially if the desktop versions comparison between Mac and PC. Now can
cost three times a Mac than a PC Windows. Besides Asians have flooded the
world with a huge amount of their Pc low price to the number seems small
quantity of Macs especially in third world markets.
2) Availability of applications and games is much greater in Windows so most
opt for this option.
3) Marketing strategies that allowed Windows is perceived as a system for all
users while Mac OS X is seen as a system that is used by specialists mainly
from graphic design and GNU Linux perceived as a system for programmers or
computer experts
4) Microsoft corporate maneuvers that force many manufacturers have to
produce only Windows compatible hardware.
5) Corporate maneuvers to prevent the administration of the states adopt other
operating systems
5. Enter statcounter page, http://gs.statcounter.com/ and find the use of
operating systems for mobile phones in Spain. Collect the data. Compare to
Europe (also copy data) and explains the reasons why you think there is
that difference exist.
6. Try to find what “Disk partitioning” is. Which is the difference with the
“Drive letter assignment”? Capture an image of your computer partitioning.
In personal computers, a partition is a logical division of a hard disk created so
that you can have different operating systems on the same hard disk or to
create the appearance of having separate hard drives for file management,
multiple users, or other purposes.
For example, when you install an operating system like Windows, part of the
process is to define a partition on the hard drive. This partition serves to define
an area of the hard drive that Windows can use to install all of its files. In
Windows operating systems, this primary partition is usually assigned the drive
letter of "C". In addition to the C drive, Windows often automatically builds other
partitions during installation, even though they rarely get a drive letter.
The drive letter assignment is the process of assigning alphabetical identifiers
to volumes. Unlike the concept of UNIX mount points, where volumes are
named and located arbitrarily in a single hierarchical namespace, drive letter
assignment allows multiple highest-level namespaces. Drive letter assignment
is thus a process of using letters to name the roots of the "forest" representing
the file system; each volume holds an independent "tree".