What are the two main types of software?
- Application software
- Systems software
What is application software?
Pieces of software that perform a particular task.
What is systems software?
Control the running of hardware and the running of other software.
What is an operating system?
A piece of software that controls the operation of the systems hardware and the running of other software.
What are some examples of operating systems?
Windows, Apple, Linux
What are the characteristics of the operating software?
- Recognizes installs peripheral devices
- Handles inputs and outputs
- Moves data to and from the disk
- Allows software to communicate with hardware.
What is the meaning memory management?
Controls the system’s RAM, controlling which locations in RAM programs are loaded into.
How does processor management work?
- When opening program on a computer OS makes sure all hardware is processing the right instructions at the same time.
- OS uses a scheduler to swap tasks in and out of the processor so that it appears that the computer is doing more than one task.
What does the API do?
Allows an application to communicate with the OS for allocation of memory.
Also provides a set code of libraries that software developers use to write applications for that operating system.
What does the OS do to ensure the security of the user?
- Ensures all access to system resources is controlled.
- Provide authentication features.
- Automatic OS updates
- Encryption of data on secondary storage devices.
How does the I/O device communicate with the computer?
A small program that acts as the interface between the device itself.
How does the I/O downloaded onto the computer?
- Packaged with the OS
- Downloaded automatically via the internet.
- Update manually as required
What is encryption?
The scrambling of data into a form that cannot be understood if intercepted by unauthorized users.
How does encryption work?
Uses an algorithm and key to transform plain text into cipher text.
What is defragmentation?
A process that recognizes data on a hard drive, ensuring that related pieces of a file is stored together in blocks.
How does defragmentation work?
- Moving files to a temporary space on the hard drive.
- Collects together the empty spaces.
- Collecting together related data.
- Replacing data so that related data is now stored sequentially.
What is the purpose of a back up?
Designed to automate the process of backing up files.
What is the purpose of a full back up?
Copy anything that has been identified as important.
What is purpose of a incremental back up?
Will only copy files that have been changed since the last full back up.
What is the importance of a back up?
Essential for the running of a service or survival of a business, data can be stored on drives that are an exact replica of the current system.
What is file management?
Controls where and how files are saved onto backing storage.
What are the uses of file management?
- Allows the user to perform tasks including the creation of files and directions
- Allows users to rename, copy and delete files.
- Keep track of files located on the hard drive.
What is the provision of interface?
The means of interacting with the user.
