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Systems Software System Software • Enables the applications software to interact with the computer and • Helps the computer manage its internal and external resources. • Is required to run applications software. Types of System Software 1. Operating systems – Is the principal component of system software in any computer system. – Consists of the master system of programs that manage the basic operations of the computer. – These programs provide resource management services of many kinds such as the control and use of hardware resources including • disk space • memory • CPU time allocation and • peripheral devices. – An operating system written for one kind of computer eg IBM will not be able to run on another kind of computer eg MacIntosh • Most operating systems are not compatible with one another Tasks that Operating Systems do • • • • • • Booting Managing storage media User interface Managing computer resources Managing files Managing tasks Booting • Refers to the process of loading an operating system into a computer’s main memory from disk. • The process is accomplished by a program called the boot strap loader or boot routine Managing storage media • An example of managing storage media is the task of formatting blank disks electronically preparing a disk so it can store data or programs. Providing a user interface • The user interface is the user-controllable part of the operating system that allows you to communicate, or interact, with it. • The types of user interfaces are: – Command-driven – Menu-driven – Graphical – Network Managing computer resources • The operating system directs traffic through the system. This is achieved by the supervisor, or kernel, the central component of the operating system. • The supervisor manages the CPU and resides in main memory while the computer is on and directs other programs to perform tasks to support applications programs, Managing Files • The operating system manages changes to files and helps you locate and gain access to them. • Some management commands are: – Copy – Back up – Erase – Rename Managing Tasks Tasks that are managed by operating systems are: • Multitasking - for one user -executing more than one program at the same time • Multiprogramming - for more than one user executing different user’s programs at the same time. • Time-sharing - for more than one user executing different user’s programs in roundrobin fashion. • Multiprocessing - for single or multiple userssimultaneous processing by more than one computer Types of Operating Systems Some common types of operating systems used: • DOS - disk operating system • MacIntosh OS9, OSX, Panther, Snow Leopard (OS 10.6.2) • Windows 95, 98, NT, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7 • Novell’s Netware • UNIX • LINUX Types of System Software Cont. 2. Utility programs – Special programs used to support, enhance or expand existing programs in a computer system. – Provide services not provided by othe system software programs. Specific Utility Tasks: • Back Up - makes a duplicate of every file on your hard disk onto other storage media eg CD RW, Zip disk, etc • Data Recovery - utilities used to resurrect, or undelete, a file or information that has been accidentally deleted. • File Defragmentation - will find all the scattered files on your hard disk and recognise them as contiguous files. • Disk Repair - will check you hard disk drive for defects and make repairs on the spot or mark the bad areas. • Virus Protection - a virus consists of hidden programming instructions that are buried within an applications or systems program. They copy themselves to other programs causing damage to the computer system. Antivirus software is a utility program that scans hard disks, diskettes and memory to detect viruses and to eradicate them. • Data Compression - these utilities remove redundant elements, gaps and unnecessary data from a computer’s storage space so less space is needed to store or transmit data. • Files are made more compact for storage on the hard disk drive. • Memory Management - different computers have different types of memory and different applications programs have different memory requirements. • Memory management utilities are programs that determine how to efficiently control and allocate memory resources. These utilities may be activated by software drivers - small software programs that allow the operating system to communicate with hardware devices eg mouse, printer, etc Types of System Software Cont. 3. Language Translators – Software that translates a program written by a programmer in a language such as Word 2008 into machine language (0s and 1s) which the computer can understand.