Software -> System Software

Software -> System Software

​What is System Software?

• Software can be defined as programs that control or maintain the operations of the computer and its devices.

• The System Software serves as the interface between users, the application software and the computer’s hardware.​

• ​It enables the running of application software and the management of the system resources.

Categories of Software:​

• ​Software can be categorized into application software and system software.

• ​System software can be further categorized into operating system and utility software.

Multiple Select

What two groups is software categorized into?

• Utility Software

• Operating System

• Application Software

• System Software

​What is an Operating System?

• An Operating System acts as a communication bridge (interface) between the user and computer hardware (like the CPU, keyboard, etc).​

• ​An operating system is a program on which application programs are executed.

Multiple Select

Select the examples of operating systems.

• BlackBerry

• macOS

• Windows

• iOS

• Linux

Multiple Select

Select some of the functions of an operating system.

• MemoryManagement

• Booting

• Input/Output

  Management

• Process/File

  Management

Multiple Select

Select some of the functions of an operating system.

• Hardware Control

• Software Control

BOOTING​

• The process of starting a computer is known as booting.

• ​The first thing a computer does when you turn on the power button is to check that it is working properly by following instructions held on the ROM chip.

• ​It will then look for an operating system to tell it what to do next.

Multiple Select

What is the first thing a computer does when you turn it on?

• It turns on.

• It looks for an operating system to tell it what to do next.

• It checks that it is working properly by following instructions held on the ROM chip.

• It checks that it is working properly by following instructions held on the RAM chip.

Multiple Select

What does a computer do after it checks that it is working properly?

• It looks for an operating system to tell it what to do next.

• It checks that it is working properly by following instructions held on the ROM chip.

• You type in a password if you have one.

• All of the above

HARDWARE CONTROL​

• The operating system supports tasks such as accepting input and transferring data between primary and secondary memory or displaying output.​

• ​It also sets rules for controlling hardware resources such as peripheral devices. Eg: Keyboard, mouse, the amount of memory used and CPU time allocation.

• ​View textbook for additional information.

​From Textbook

Hardware control

​The operating system also sets rules for controlling hardware resources such as:

• ​peripherals - controlling peripheral devices such as keyboards, printers and scanners.

• ​memory - controlling the amount of memory used.

• ​CPU - controlling the time allocated to a task by the central processing unit.

• ​disk space - controlling the amount of disk space used.

Multiple Select

What tasks does an operating system support?

• Transferring data

  between primary and secondary memory.

• Accepting output

• Accepting input

• Displaying output

• Service playing

Multiple Select

What are examples of a hardware resource?

• peripheral devices

• memory

• CPU

• disk space

• file management

Multiple Select

What are some examples of peripheral devices?

• mouse

• text box

• scanners

• printers

• keyboards

​SOFTWARE CONTROL

• ​The operating system controls how all software applications, games or other programs, work on the computer.

• ​View text book for additional information.

​From Textbook

The operating system controls how all software applications, games or other programs, work on the computer. Some methods used include:

• ​memory management

• ​input/output

• ​process management

• ​file management

Multiple Select

What does the operating system control as it relates to software control?

• It controls how all software applications work on the computer.

• It controls how all games work on the computer.

• It controls how all programs work on the computer.

• All of the above

Multiple Select

What are some methods used to control all that was said in the previous question?

• memory management

• input/output management

• process management

• utility management

• file management

​Additional Functions of the Operating System

Memory Management:

• When a program or data is too large to fit into main memory, a method called Virtual Memory is used.

• This method splits the program into manageable blocks.

• The required blocks are swapped between main memory and secondary storage as necessary, giving the impression that the computer has expanded its main memory to accommodate the program or data.​

​​Additional Functions of the Operating System Cont.

Input/output management:

• ​Since each device has a program called a driver that allows the device to communicate with the computer, the flow of information among devices must be managed and coordinated. The use of buffers is one way to manage these devices.

​​Additional Functions of the Operating System Cont.

Process Management:

• This function allocates time for processes to use the CPU, checks on processes waiting to use the CPU and signals when the CPU is available.​

​

​

​​Additional Functions of the Operating System Cont.

File Management:

• ​Files need to be saved, copied, renamed and deleted. A file manager checks the amount of memory needed to perform these tasks and manages the organization of files in the secondary storage.

​

Multiple Choice

(Memory Management) What is Virtual Memory?

• It is a method that splits the program into manageable roads.

• It is a method used to expand main memory to accommodate the program.

• It is a method used to expand main memory.

• It splits programs into manageable blocks and swaps the blocks between main memory and secondary memory.

Multiple Choice

(Input/output management)What does a driver do?

• It controls the device and what it does.

• It prevents the device from communicating with the computer

• It controls the information on a device.

• It allows the device to communicate with the computer.

Multiple Choice

(Input/output management) What is one way to manage the flow of information among devices?

• file manager

• stoppers

• buffers

• signals

Multiple Select

Files need to be ____, ____, ____ and ____.

• saved

• copied

• renamed

• deleted

• all of the above

Multiple Select

What does the file manager do?

• manages the amount of memory needs to perform a task

• checks the organization of files in the secondary storage.

• manages the organization of files in the secondary storage

• checks the amount of memory needed to perform a tasks