a - cs > 5 - system software > Flashcards

5 - system software Flashcards

(39 cards)

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1
Q

User system interface

A
  • allows the user to get the hardware/ software to do something useful
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2
Q

GUI

A

graphical user interface
- uses WIMP - windows icons menus and pointers
+ simple to use (intuitive)
+ looks nice
- limits what you can do
- needs OS
for general population

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3
Q

CLI

A
  • is text based - through a keyboard
    + can debug
    + directly manipulate functionality of computer
    + can alter comp settings
    + don’t need OS
  • harder to use
  • need to learn complex commands
    more advanced users
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4
Q

program hardware management

A
  • OS ensures hardware does what the software wants
  • Program development tools allow the programmer to write a program without knowing how the hardware actually works
  • OS provides a mechanism to run the program
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5
Q

BIOS

A
  • Basic Input/Output System
  • Stored in CMOS memory - so can be altered or deleted as required
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6
Q

OS - management

A
  • memory
  • security
  • processor
  • hardware
  • file
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7
Q

security management

A
  • Ensures integrity confidentiality and availability of data
  • Updates system when available
  • Ensures anti virus is up to date
  • Communicates with firewalls to check traffic
  • Makes use of privileges
  • Maintains access rights
  • Offers recovery of data
  • Prevents illegal intrusion
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8
Q

processor management

A
  • Allocation of recourses
  • Permits exchange of data
  • Allows processors to be synchronised (schedules resources, resolves conflicts, use of queues)
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9
Q

hardware management

A
  • Communicates with I/O devices - using drivers
  • Translates data from a file into formats I/O devices understand
  • Ensures hardware has a priority so can be used as required
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10
Q

file management

A
  • Defines file naming conversions
  • Creates, opens, closes, deletes, renames, copies and moves files
  • Maintains directory structures
  • Ensures access rights, passwords, locking files are maintained
  • Specifies the file storage format (FAT, NTFS)
  • Ensures memory allocation for a file by reading from HDD/ SSD and loads into memory
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11
Q

memory management

A
  • made up of memory optimisation, organisation, protection
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12
Q

memory optimisation

A
  • how memory is allocated and where programs are stored
  • keeps track of all allocated and free memory
  • swaps data to/from HDD/SSD
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13
Q

memory organisation

A
  • how much memory is allocated and how its split up approrpriately
  • single contiguous allocation, partitioned, paged memory allocation, segmented memory
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14
Q

single contiguous allocation

A
  • all memory is made avaiable to a single application
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15
Q

partitioned allocation

A
  • memory is split into contiguous partitions and memory management allocates a section to an application
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16
Q

paged memory

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A
  • each partition is a fixed size - used by virtual memory
17
Q

segmented memory

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A
  • memory blocks arent contiguous each segment is allocated to a logical group of data (eg data that makes up an array)
18
Q

memory protection

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A
  • ensures competing applications cant use the same memory locations at once
  • if not data could be lost, security issues or comp can crash
19
Q

error

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A
  • Can be because the program was badxly written or supplied with inappropriate data
  • System needs to be able to interrupt processing and provide error diagnostics or shut down the system if extreme errors
20
Q

utility programs

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A
  • hard disk formatter
  • hard disk repair
  • hard disk defragmenter
  • backup
  • file compression
  • virus checker
  • disk content analysis/repair software
21
Q

hard disk formatter

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A
  • Organises storage space by assigning it in data blocks/partitions
  • After partitions are created they are formatted - writes files to hold directory data and table of contents
  • NTFS - full formatting for windows - fills with zeros then reads them back to test the sector
  • If bad sector is found its flagged and reorganises by replacing bad sectors with new unused sectors
22
Q

hard disk repair

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A

If bad sector is found its flagged and reorganises by replacing bad sectors with new unused sectors

23
Q

hard disk defragmenter

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A
  • When disk becomes full sections of files will be scattered - read/write is slower as arm has to move more
  • Defragmenter arranges files to store in contiguous sectors + faster read/write - can also carry out clean up operations
24
Q

backup

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Allows a schedule for backing up e.g. every week
  • Only backs up if changes are made
  • For security should be 3 versions of any file
    • current version on comp e.g. hard drive
    • locally backed up e.g. portable SSD
      remotely backed up e.g. cloud storage
25
file compression
- Compresses data before writing to hard disk + Saves storage space - makes upload/download quicker
26
virus checker
- Checks software or files before they are loaded on a comp - Compares possible viruses against a database of known viruses - Carries out heuristic checking - checks for types of behaviour that could indicate a virus - Puts infected files into quarantine - deleted the files or allows the user to decide whether to open - Update software to keep virus database up to date
27
disks content analysis / repair software
Checks for empty space by reviewing files - can remove unwanted files/downloads
28
program libraries
- used when software is being developed can use pre-written subroutines and save time - used to help developers who want to use DLL in their programs + saves time as removes the need to rewrite the subroutines + several programmers can be working at the same time (modular programming) + allows continuity in games + can maintain a corporate image + saves testing. times
29
static vs dynamic libraries
**static libraries** - software is linked to executable code in the library - routines would be embedded directly into the new program **dynamic libraries** - not linked to the library routines until run time – the routines will be available to several applications at the same time
30
assemblers
- Converts an assembly language program into machine code - can be a two-pass assembler - First - removing comments, symbol table creation, expansion of macros, identification of system calls - second - replaces symbolic addresses with absolute addresses and creates object code
31
compilers
- translated into machine code - output object code - can be executed many times without being translated again
32
interpreter
- executed line by line - shows errors when it sees them - every line is interpreted each time the program is run
33
compiler +/-
+ no need to have a translator + source code can't be changed by end user of object code + quicker to execute + no syntax or semantic errors once compiled + can be translated on one comp then executed on another type - list of errors at the end - untested errors may cause a crash -end users done have access to source code
34
interpreter +/-
+ easier to debug + can see partial results during development + if purchased end users have source code - end user needs interpreter - end users can use source code - copywright - can contain syntax errors - can't be run on diff comp typed
35
IDE
integrated development environment - used by programmers to aid the writing and development of programs IDEs usually have - a source code editor - a compiler, an interpreter, or both - a run-time environment with a debugger - an auto-documenter
36
source code editor
- Allows program to be written without separate text editor- can edit without changing software - Layout with prettyprinting - colour coded -context sensitive prompts eg text completion - Flags syntax errors - logic errors can only be found at run time
37
run time environment with debugger
- Flags errors - can step through the program line by line - single stepping - set a breakpoint - stops the execution of the program - Report window - shows contents of variables/expressions at that point in the program - can check for logical errors
38
auto documenter
- explains the function of the code and each built in function
39
partial compiling and interpreting
- Source code is checked and translated by a compiler to object code - This is known as intermediate code, p-code or bytecode - To execute the object code can be interpreted by an interpreter - Eg Java and python
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