An operating system (OS) is the first thing loaded onto the computer, without the operating system, a computer is useless.
2. What operating system do most computers come preloaded with?
PCs come pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows, and Macintosh computers come pre-loaded with Mac OS X.
3. Besides personal computers, what other devices have operating systems?
Electronic devices such as cell phones
4. Do all computers have operating systems? Explain
Not all computers have operating systems. The computer that controls the microwave oven for example, doesn't need an operating system.
5. What are the three most common operating systems? Are there other operating systems? Explain.
The three most common operating systems are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and UNIX. Yes there are other operating systems, but these are the most common.
6. What is one reason why operating systems are coded rather than physical circuits?
The reason operating systems are made out of portable code rather than permanent physical circuits is so that they can be changed or modified without having to scrap the whole device.
7. What are the two main functions of an operating system?
1-It manages the hardware and software resources of the system. And 2-It provides a stable, consistent way for applications to deal with the hardware without having to know all the details of the hardware
8. What are the four types of operating systems?
There are Real-time operating system (RTOS) which is used to control machinery, scientific instruments and industrial systems; single-user, single task which is designed to manage the computer so that one user can effectively do one thing at a time; single-user, multi-tasking which lets a single user have several programs in operation at the same time; and multi-user which allows many different users to take advantage of the computer's resources simultaneously.
9. What are the first actions the computer takes when you power it on?
When you turn on the power to a computer, the first program that runs is usually a set of instructions kept in the computer's read-only memory (ROM). This code examines the system hardware to make sure everything is functioning properly.
10. What is the bootstrap loader? What is its function?
The bootstrap loader is a small program that has a single function: It loads the operating system into memory and allows it to begin operation. In the most basic form, the bootstrap loader sets up the small driver programs that interface with and control the various hardware subsystems of the computer.
11. How does the OS manage the processor?
The OS manages the processor by ensuring that each process and application receives enough of the processor's time to function properly and using as many processor cycles as possible for real work.
12. What does an operating system do when two processes are multi-tasking?
When two processes are multi-tasking, the operating system allots a certain number of CPU execution cycles to one program.
After that number of cycles, the operating system makes copies of all the registers, stacks and queues used by the processes, and notes the point at which the process paused in its execution. It then loads all the registers, stacks and queues used by the second process and allows it a certain number of CPU cycles. When those are complete, it makes copies of all the registers, stacks and queues used by the second program, and loads the first program.
13. What is thrashing?
When you try to have to many processes functioning at the same time, this can cause problems. The operating system itself requires some CPU cycles to perform the saving and swapping of all the registers, queues and stacks of the application processes. If enough processes are started, and if the operating system hasn't been carefully designed, the system can begin to use the vast majority of its available CPU cycles to swap between processes rather than run processes. This is called thrashing.
14. What is virtual memory management?
A processor can only access memory one location at a time, so the vast majority of RAM is unused at any moment. Since disk space is cheap compared to RAM, then moving information in RAM to hard disk can greatly expand RAM space at no cost. This is Virtual Memory Management.
15. What is a driver?
Drivers are translates between electrical signals of the hardware subsystems and the high-level programming languages of the OS and application programs. So basically drivers take data that the operating system has defined as a file and translate them into streams of bits placed in specific locations on storage devices, or a series of laser pulses in a printer.
16. How can input/output capabilities of a system be enhanced?
Managing input and output is largely a matter of managing queues and buffers, special storage facilities that take a stream of bits from a device, perhaps a keyboard or a serial port, hold those bits, and release them to the CPU at a rate with which the CPU can cope
17. How do application program interfaces make it easier for programmers?
It is similar to the way the user interface facilitates interaction between humans and computers. You can actually see what's happening on the screen in front of you.
18. What is a UI and GUI?
User Interface is the system by which people interact with a machine. The user interface includes hardware (physical) and software (logical) components.
Graphical User Interface is where the user clicks on a visual screen that has icons, windows and menus, by using a pointing device, such as a mouse.
19. Why is Linux being open source significant?
The primary difference between Linux and many other popular contemporary operating systems is that the Linux kernel and other components are free and open source software.
20. What are some other devices that run on Linux?
AppleTV,Browser,GameCube,Dreamcast, Ipod, etc
21. What are 3 things you found interesting about operating systems that you did not know
before?
I learned that operating systems are found in so many different devices such as my Ipod. operating systems are also didn't know that every computer had an operating system. i also learned that microwaves have a computer that doesn't have an operating system.
22. What is a question that you still have about operating systems?
How long does it take for a driver to translate the electrical signals to the operating systems language?
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