Embedded Files
Types of Software
Types of Software
There are lots of different categories for software to be organised into depending what its purpose is. Systems Software is just one category. This video should open your eyes to the range of software that exists.
An operating system acts as an interface between the user of the computer and the computer's hardware.
Operating systems come in two main forms: GUI and CLI.
Utility software helps you check, maintain and repair aspects of your computer system, to ensure that it is performing efficiently.
Drivers
Drivers
Drivers can be thought of translators. They translate messages between a peripheral device and the operating system so that both can understand each other.
FAQs
FAQs
Try answering these questions out loud before looking at the answer. If you can answer these without prompting, you are a master of Systems Software!
How are device drivers found?
Answer
Answer
Modern Operating Systems have the concept of plug & play which means that device drivers are automatically downloaded from a website so that the user can plug the device in and it will install the software and work.
In older Operating Systems the user would have to install device drivers from a disc.
Does a defragmentation tool need to be run on both a standard magnetic hard disk drive and a solid state drive?
Answer
Answer
No.
The reason that it is important to use a defragmentation tool on a magnetic disk drive is because the read/write arm has to move to desired track/sector.
Solid state drives have no moving parts and therefore it doesn’t make a noticeable different to the speed of reading fragmented data.
Drives can be optimised, but it can do more harm than good trying to defragment a solid state drive.
Is Storage Space the same thing as memory?
Answer
Answer
No.
In computers memory management refers to the computer's primary memory – which is the RAM (Random Access Memory).
There is often a misconception that storage space on the hard disk drive is called memory – with comments “the hard disk drive is out of memory – I therefore have to delete some files” being made.
Storage Space refers to any long term storage of data and memory management refers to the management of the computers RAM (for short term storage of data and instructions)
Does the processor complete lots of processes at exactly the same time?
Answer
Answer
No.
The processor divides its time up between processes – therefore it appears to complete many processes at the same time, but actually the processor is allocated to each task for a very small amount of time before moving onto the next task.
Each process is said to be given a time slice of the processor. To a user it appears that all tasks are taking place at the same time.
Homework Tasks
Homework Tasks
1. Mobile OS
1. Mobile OS
Produce a summary report discussing the features and functions of three leading Operating Systems in the mobile phone market.
Write a conclusion on which Operating System you think performs the best and why.
(Click the image for a helpful resource)
2. Drivers
2. Drivers
Discuss the importance of device drivers and what plug & play means to Operating Systems.
(Click the image for a helpful resource)
3. Memory
3. Memory
Discuss the benefits of using virtual memory as well as physical memory and how the Operating System would manage memory as a resource.
(Click the image for a helpful resource)
4. Enigma
4. Enigma
Using the provided website – find out about the Enigma machine and write a short report on the importance of the Enigma machine and why this was used to encrypt code? How did code breakers crack the Enigma code?
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