Operating Systems and user interfaces

Operating systems are programs that control the hardware directly

Functions of an operating system:

• Manage and control any devices such as printers, scanners, webcams etc. that are attached to the computer
• Provide a user interface that makes it easy for the user to load programs, search for files, copy files etc
• Deal with any errors that occur while the computer is working on a task
• Provide the interface between the application packages being run and the hardware
• Allow new hardware or new software to be installed
• Handle the storage of data
• Recognise when new hardware has been attached to the computer and load the software needed to control it

Interactive: means that there is a constant dialogue between the computer and the user

• computer asks the user questions or highlights problems and the user has to acknowledge that they have read the messge or make a response

Multitasking: possible to have several windows open at the same time

Multi - user: allows several users to access the same data at the same time

• used with networks
• each person on the network appears to have sole use of the network
• each user on the network is allocated a slice of the computers time
• once they have used up this time slice the next person is given a go and so on
• as the processor of the computer works so fast, each person does not notice that the computers time is being shared

Online:

• online operating system is an operating system that runs on a web server
• use it through a web browser software

Processing - may be done a bit at a time (real time processing) or the work may be saved up over a period of time and done in one go (batch processing)

Batch processing:

• all relevant data collected and processed together
• ideal for: producing bills for water, gas, telephone, electric, producing monthly bank statements

Real - time processing:

• system is automatically updated when a change is made
• system always contains up to date information
• ideal for booking systems(airline), traffic lights, flood warning systems