Touchpad iPrime Ver. 2.1 Class 8: Windows 10 & MS Office 2016

1 OPERATING SYSTEM

A computer system is a combination of hardware and software. If any of these are missing, then the computer will not work properly. The physical components of the computer system that we can see and touch are called hardware. Some examples of hardware are keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc. Whereas, software is a program or collection of programs that perform a particular task. Both hardware and software are interdependent parts of the computer system.

Software can be further divided into two categories:

System Software: This is the software that helps to control all the operations of the computer system. It helps to run other software on the computer system. Some examples of system software are Operating System (OS), utility software, and BIOS.

Application Software: An application software is a program developed to perform a specific task. This type of software allows users to do their work more efficiently and easily. Like, Tally software is used to do accounts-related tasks in organisations whereas Microsoft Word is used to perform day-to-day work such as typing letters and documents.

Operating System

Operating systems

An operating system is a system software that works as a mediator between the user and the computer hardware. A computer cannot function without an operating system. The operating system helps the users give instructions to all the parts of the computer system and also makes the users understand the results given by the computer. Some of the most commonly known operating systems are Microsoft Windows, Apple Machintosh, and Linux.

Why DO we need an Operating System?

Without an operating system, a computer cannot work and a user will not be able to use the programs because it controls and coordinates the activities of software and hardware as well. The operating system acts as an interface between the computer and the user. It also helps a user communicate with the computer and vice-versa. It communicates with the various parts of the computer so that tasks can be performed effectively and without any delay.

Functions of an Operating System

Functioning of operating system

As we switch on the computer, the work of the operating system starts. After booting, the operating system gets loaded into the memory of the computer system. Once the operating system has been successfully loaded into the memory, it controls and operates all the jobs performed by the computer.

An operating system performs various functions. Some of them are:

★ Arranging Files and Folders: An operating system helps arrange the files and folders stored on the hard disk. It also keeps track of information about when a file is created, copied, and modified.

★ Assigning Tasks to the CPU: An operating system assigns tasks to the CPU according to the instructions given by the user. It also helps control the execution of the tasks. It also helps assign the resources that are required to complete the task.

★ Managing Memory: An operating system manages the memory space for multiple processes. It keeps track of every memory location, regardless of whether it is allocated to some process or is free. It also allocates memory to the files and folders. When we delete a file or folder, the operating system de-allocates the memory space allocated for it.

★ Managing Resources: An operating system keeps track of the hardware and software requirements of the processes. It works as a manager of the resources and allocates them to different programs.

★ Managing Devices: An operating system manages and controls all the input and output devices connected to the computer. When we give an instruction to the computer by using an input device, the computer processes the instruction and produces the desired result on the output device.

★ Security: An operating system has an in-built security module to protect the programs and data stored on the computer system against unauthorised access.

Types of Operating Systems

There are different types of operating systems. The operating system can be categorised on the basis of control and applications they supports. Let us briefly discuss the important types of operating systems.

★ Single-user Operating System: This type of operating system allows only one user to access the computer system at a time. The most commonly used single-user operating systems are Palm computer, and DOS.

★ Multi-processor Operating System: A multi-processor operating system has more than one Central Processing Unit (CPU) to manage the functioning of the computer. All these CPUs are able to communicate with one another to coordinate operations. This type of operating system provides higher speed and the capability to run multiple applications at the same time.

★ Multi-tasking Operating System: A multi-tasking operating system allows users to execute multiple tasks on one computer at a time. All the tasks share a common processing resource like a CPU. In this type of operating system, the priority of tasks can also be changed according to the requirements. The most commonly used multitasking operating systems are Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10, UNIX and Linux.

★ Multi-user Operating System: In this type of operating system, multiple users can use the computer at the same time. Examples of multi-user operating systems are Linux, Windows, etc.

★ Real-Time Operating System: It provides certain capabilities like controlling machines, instruments, and industrial systems within a specified time period.

What is A User Interface?

A User Interface (UI) refers to a part of an operating system that allows a user to interact with the computer. It provides a set of commands, menus, and icons that help in interacting with the computer. An effective interface can make an operating system attractive and user-friendly.

Based on the working environment, user interfaces can be divided into two categories: Character User Interface (CUI) and Graphical User Interface (GUI). Let us discuss these in detail.

Character User Interface (CUI)

A Character User Interface is a medium through which users can interact with a computer by using only text-based commands. Due to the use of commands only, CUI is also called a command line interface (CLI). This type of interface provides a command prompt to the users. A user can write commands on the command prompt to perform a particular task. DOS and Windows Command Prompt are the two most commonly known character user interfaces.

Character user interface

Advantages of CUI

There are certain advantages of CUI:

★ It is easy to understand.

★ It accepts input and displays output in the form of text.

★ It allows users to write commands by typing one or two-line text known as command lines.

Disadvantages of CUI

It has a few disadvantages also, which are as follows:

★ People find it difficult to remember all the commands.

★ It is not user-friendly.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A Graphical User Interface is a type of interface that provides icons, buttons, pull-down menus and windows to interact with the computer. It replaces the commands that we use in the CUI interface with icons, buttons, and menus. In this interface, a user need does not need to remember all the commands. GUI allows us to give commands to the computer simply by clicking with the mouse. Windows and Mac operating systems are examples of a GUI.

Graphical user interface

Advantages of GUI

There are many advantages of GUI over CUI:

★ It is easy to use, especially for beginners.

★ It is more appealing and attractive as compared to CUI.

★ It provides the feature to use multiple applications at the same time.

★ It is not necessary to remember the commands to operate this interface.

★ It provides remote access to a computer.

★ It enables easy exchange of information between software through cut and paste or 'drag and drop' methods.

★ It usually provides users with immediate, visual feedback about the effect of each action.

Disadvantages of GUI

There are many disadvantages of GUI:

★ It takes large amount of hard disk space than CUI.

★ It uses more processing power.

★ It needs more memory (RAM) to run.

A comparison between CUI and GUI

★ A computer system is a combination of hardware and software.

★ Software is a program or collection of programs that performs a task.

★ An operating system is a system software that works as a mediator between the user and the computer hardware.

★ A character user interface is a medium through which users can interact with a computer by using only text-based commands.

★ A graphical user interface (GUI) is a type of interface that provides icons, buttons, pull-down menus, and windows to interact with the computer.

A. Tick (✓) the correct option.

The interface between user and computer is called .............................. .

System software

Operating system

Application software

Hardware