Operating Systems

Types and components of a computer system

Operating Systems

What is an Operating System?

An operating system is a software program that manages computer resources. Operating systems allow components to communicate with each other and enables the computer to run software applications.

Tasks of the Operating System

• Control of the operation of the input, output and backing storage devices.

• Supervising the loading, running and storage of applications programs.

• Dealing with errors that occur in application programs.

• Maintaining security of the whole computer system.

• Maintaining a computer log (which details computer usage)

• Allowing communication between the user and the computer system (user interface).

Open Ended

list 3 functions of the operating system

Who would use each type of interface

CLI: a programmer, analyst or technician; basically somebody who needs to have direct communication with a computer to develop new software, locate errors and remove them, initiate memory dumps (contents of the computer memory at some moment in time), and so on.

GUI: the end-user who doesn’t have (or doesn’t need) any great knowledge of how the computer works; a person who uses the computer to run software or play games or store/manipulate photographs, for example.

User interfaces

• A user interface allows the user to interact effectively with the computer system. There are two main types of user interfaces;

• Command Line Interface – CLI 

• Graphical User Interface – GUI

Open Ended

state two advantages and disadvantages of GUI and CLI

Command Line Interface (CLI)

Command line interface (CLI) requires a user to type in instructions to choose options from menus, open software and so on.

There are often a number of commands that need to be typed in, for example, to save or load a file. The user therefore has to learn a number of commands just to carry out basic operations.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Graphical user interface (GUI) allows the user to interact with a computer using pictures or icons (symbols) rather than having to type in a number of commands.

GUIs use various technologies and devices to provide the user interface. One of the most common is WIMP (windows icons menu and pointing device), which was developed for use on personal computers (PCs)

Advantages and Disadvantages of CLI

• The user is in direct communication with the computer.

• The user is not restricted to a

  number of predetermined options.

• It is possible to alter computer

  configuration settings

• The user needs to learn a number of commands to carry out basic operations.

• All commands need to be typed in, which takes time and can be error-prone.

• Each command must be typed in using the correct format, spelling, and so on.

• It is more difficult to edit once commands are entered.

Advantages and Disadvantages of GUI

• The user doesn’t need to learn any commands.

• It is more user-friendly; icons are used to represent applications.

• A pointing device (such as a mouse) is used to click on an icon to launch the application – this is simpler than typing in commands.

• It uses up considerably more computer memory than a CLI interface.

• The user is limited to the icons provided on the screen.

• It needs an operating system, such as Windows, to operate, which uses up considerable memory.

Multiple Select

Which type of user interface uses icons?

• CLI

• GUI

• GIU

• CIL

Open Ended

Describe an Operating systems and give 4 examples