1.5 System Software

Question 1

What is System Software ?

Answer 1

software that governs the computer system

Question 2

What are the four features of System Software ?

Answer 2

-controls the hardware - peripherals
-allows other programs to run
-provides an interface
-maintains the system

Question 3

What are the two kinds of system software ?

Answer 3

-operating systems
-utilities

Question 4

What is an OS ?

Answer 4

collection of programs that manages and controls the computer.

Question 5

What are functions of an OS ?

Answer 5

• controlling hardware
• providing platform + UI
• manages users, files , peripherals, memory
• multitasking

Question 6

What are the three types of UI ?

Answer 6

• Graphical User Interface (GUI)
• Mobile User Interface (MUI)
• Command Line Interface

Question 7

What is the feature of GUI ?

Answer 7

• powerful and easy to use
• require a lot of processing power

Question 8

Where are Mobile UI’s found ?

Answer 8

Smartphones and tablets

Question 9

What is the feature of CLI ?

Answer 9

• hard to use
• extremely powerful
• little processing power required

Question 10

What is Multitasking ?

Answer 10

able to run more than one program simultaneously by the CPU allocating a time slice.

Question 11

What are the 2 requirements of Multitasking ?

Answer 11

• If OS can support it
• enough primary memory for more than 1 program

Question 12

What is paging ?

Answer 12

memory management where memory is divided into pages.

Question 13

Do the pages of a program have to be contingous ?

Answer 13

NO

Question 14

What are peripherals ?

Answer 14

Hardware devices connected to a computer

Question 15

What is a device driver ?

Answer 15

A program containing instructions on how to control a device

Question 16

What are advantages of a device driver ?

Answer 16

• any device can be used if driver available
• can be updated

Question 17

What are features of File management?

Answer 17

create, modify ,copy, rename, sort, search, restore, set rights, duplicate and delete files and folders

Question 18

What are features of User Management ?

Answer 18

allow individual users to be created/destroyed
set access levels
auditing of files a user creates, accesses, edits and deletes

Question 19

What is utility software ?

Answer 19

software that maintains the system

Question 20

What does utility software contain ?

Answer 20

• Encryption Software
• Defragmentation Software
• Data Compression Software
• Backup Software

Question 21

What is defragmentation ?

Answer 21

takes the fragmented files and rearranges the segments so that they run contiguously

Question 22

What are the pros of defragmentation ?

Answer 22

Decrease Read/ Write Time

Question 23

What does Data Compression software do ?

Answer 23

reduces the size of a file stored on secondary storage.

Question 24

What are the two types of backup ?

Answer 24

• Full
• Incremental

Question 25

What is an Incremental backup ?

Answer 25

Takes a copy of any new files created since the last backup, or files that have been edited