Chapter 9

Operating Systems

  Ø  An operating system (OS) is a set of programs containing instructions that work together to coordinate all the activities among computer and mobile device hardware

  Ø  Operating System Functions

         

§  Starting Computers and Mobile Devices

·         If a computer or mobile device is off, you press a power button to turn it on

§  User interface (UI)

·         controls how you enter data and instructions and how information is displayed on the screen with a graphical user interface (GUI), you interact with menus and visual images

§  Memory management optimizes the use of the computer or device’s internal memory

§  Virtual memory is a portion of a storage medium functioning as additional RAM

§  The operating system determines the order in which tasks are processed

§  typically provide a means to establish Internet connections

§  provide users with a variety of tools related to managing a computer, its devices, or its programs

§  user account enables a use to sign in to, or access resources on, a network or computer

  Ø  Desktop Operating Systems

§  a complete operating system that works on desktops, laptops, and some tablets

  Ø  Server Operating Systems

§  Windows Server

§  OS X Server

§  UNIX

§  Linux

  Ø  Mobile Operating Systems

§  operating system on mobile devices and many consumer electronics is called a mobile operating system and resides on firmware