Chapter 4
System Software:The Control of Your Computer
4.1 What Controls Your Computer? / firmware / Where are a computer's initial instructions stored?
System Software / system software
operating system (OS)
utility software
Disk Cleanup / What's included in system software?
What basic tasks are handled by the OS?
What does utility software do?
Starting Your Computer / booting
cold boot
warm boot
system files
system configuration / What happens during the boot process?
What's the difference between a warm boot and a cold boot?
What's included in the system configuration?
Taking a Look at the Operating System Package / operating system package / What are some examples of operating system packages?
What do they offer?
A (Brief!) History of Operating Systems / driver
DOS
command-line interface
graphical user interface (GUI) / How did computers work before there were operating systems?
When and by whom was UNIX developed?
Why was DOS developed?
How do command-line interfaces differ from graphical user interfaces?
Take the Next Step: Activity 4.1.1 / How has Windows evolved into the feature-rich program of today?
4.2 Perusing the Popular Operating System Packages / What are the major operating systems in use today?
Understanding Platforms and Platform Dependency / platform
platform dependency / What does the word "platform" describe?
What is an example of platform dependency?
Windows / Microsoft Windows / How did Windows start out?
What are the more recent versions of Windows?
Macintosh / Macintosh OS X / Why are Macs less prone to viruses?
What are some of the stronger Mac markets?
UNIX / UNIX / What type of OS is UNIX?
Where is UNIX used today?
Linux / Linux
open source operating system / How is Linux used?
Who developed it, and when?
What does it mean to be an open source OS?
The Future of the OS / How might Chrome OS be different from today's operating systems?
Take the Next Step: Activity 4.2.1 / multitasking
least possible privileges / What types of tasks does network operating software handle?
Spotlight on the Future Podcast: Reinventing Windows / According to this podcast, why does Windows need "reinventing?"
What do the experts featured in the podcast think Microsoft's new OS will look like?
What are some of the concerns about moving OS functions onto "the cloud"?
4.3 The Tasks of the Operating System Package / What are the functions common to all operating systems?
Providing a User Interface / user interface
desktop / What is a user interface?
How is the concept of the desktop implemented?
What can you do with your desktop?
Configuring Hardware / Plug and Play / How does your OS communicate with the devices attached to your computer?
How do you install new hardware?
What is the Plug and Play feature?
Controlling Input and Output Devices / How does the operating system control input and output devices?
Managing System Performance and Memory / performance / What determines a computer's performance?
How does the operating system help you track and troubleshoot your computer's performance?
Memory / virtual memory
swap file / What is the difference between ROM and RAM?
How does virtual memory work?
How is a swap file used?
Cache / What gets stored in cache memory?
Why is it faster to access cache memory?
Processor / What does the processor do?
How does the OS manage the processor?
Bus / What does the bus do?
How is the speed of the bus measured?
Routing Data between Applications and Devices / What steps are involved in routing a print job from your computer to your printer?
Managing File Systems / file allocation table (FAT)
path / How are files stored on your hard drive?
How does the OS organize these files?
Search and Help / What file attributes can you use to search for files on your computer?
What kind of help systems do operating systems typically provide?
Maintenance Features in an Operating System Package / What maintenance functions are provided by the OS?
Sending the Computer to Sleep or Shutting It Off / Why is it important to follow the proper steps for shutting down your computer?
What alternatives does the OS offer to completely powering down a computer?
Take the Next Step: Activity 4.3.1 / What features does the latest version of Windows offer?
4.4 Going on the Road with Mobile Operating Systems / mobile operating system / What kind of devices run mobile operating systems?
What Makes a Mobile OS Different? / How does a mobile OS differ from a desktop OS?
A Wealth of Mobile OS Choices / smartphone
mobile Internet device (MID) / What types of mobile operating systems are available?
What is a mobile Internet device?
Take the Next Step: Activity 4.4.1 / 3G / What is 3G?
Our Digital World: Introduction to ComputingChapter 4 Study Notes
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