Lec 4
Lec 4
Lec 4
University of Technology
Computer Engineering Department
Computer Principles
Lecture 4
System Software
Lecture Layout:
• System Software
• The Operating System
Windows
Mac Os
Unix and Linux
Netware
• Mobile Phone Operating Systems
• Utilities
• Device Drivers
• Programming Language Processors
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Lecture 4 Computer Principles
System Software
Systems software is used to control the computer hardware so that all
computer devices can interact with application software smoothly. It
creates a layer of insulation between the computer hardware and
application software, which can greatly help simplify the design of
application software.
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Categories
While there are hundreds of different operating systems, there are only
three basic categories: embedded, network, or stand-alone.
• Embedded operating systems are used for handheld devices such as
smart phones, cable and satellite television receiver, video game systems,
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Mac OS
Apple introduced its Macintosh microcomputer and operating system in
1984. It provided one of the first GUIs, making it easy even for novice
computer users to move and delete files. Designed to run with Apple
computers, Mac OS is not as widely used as the Windows operating
system. As a result, fewer application programs have been written for it.
Nonetheless, Mac OS is considered to be one of the most innovative
operating systems. It is a powerful, easy-to-use operating system that is
popular with professional graphic designers, desktop publishers, and
many home users.
One of the latest versions of the Macintosh operating system is Mac OS
X. This operating system provides a wide array of powerful features
including Spotlight and Dashboard Widgets. Spotlight is an advanced
search tool that can rapidly locate files, folders, e-mail messages,
addresses, and much more. Dashboard Widgets are a collection of
specialized programs that will constantly update and display information.
Some versions of Mac OS X also include Boot Camp, which allows
Macintosh computers to run both Mac OS and the Windows operating
system.
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Netware
NetWare is a local-area network (LAN) operating system developed by
Novell Corporation. NetWare is a software product that runs on a variety
of different types of LANs, from Ethernets to IBM token-ring networks.
It provides users and programmers with a consistent interface that is
independent of the actual hardware used to transmit messages.
Mobile Phone Operating Systems
Mobile phone operating systems, also known as mobile OS, are a type of
embedded operating system. Every smart phone has a mobile phone
operating system. Although less complicated and more specialized for
wireless communication, these operating systems control smart phones
just as Windows or Mac OS controls desktop computer operations.
While there are numerous mobile phone operating systems, some of the
best known are Symbian, BlackBerry OS, iPhone OS, Android, and
Windows Phone 7.
• Symbian has its origins in Japan with Nokia, Sony, and others.
Introduced in 2009, it controls more smart phones worldwide than any
other mobile operating system.
• BlackBerry OS, also known as RIM OS, was first introduced in 1999
by a small Canadian firm called Research In Motion. Originally designed
as the platform for the BlackBerry handheld computer, it has evolved into
a powerful mobile phone operating system that is challenging Symbian.
• iPhone OS was originally developed in 2007 by Apple. It is based on
Mac OS and is used as the platform for Apple’s iPhone, iPod Touch, and
iPad. iPhone OS is one of the fastest growing mobile operating systems.
• Android was originally introduced in 2007. It was originally developed
by Android Inc. and later purchased by Google. Like the iPhone OS,
Android is one of the fastest growing mobile operating systems.
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Utilities
Utility programs are used to help end users with a “tool box” to fine-tune
hardware components or modify system software functions, and they are
normally associated with the operating system. The utility programs for
large computer systems (e.g., mainframe computers and supercomputers)
are designed for professional system programmers to either modify or
repair the system software. However, the utility programs for
microcomputers are very often used by end users. They are user-friendly
and designed for end users to format a diskette, change the monitor’s
background pattern, or install computer hardware. Some vendors provide
utility programs that can enhance the performance of the computer (such
as a RAM disk), install virtual memory, or check for viruses.
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All kinds of things can happen—internal hard disks can crash, computers
can freeze up, operations can slow down, and so on. These events can
make computing very frustrating. That’s where utilities come in. Utilities
are specialized programs designed to make computing easier. There are
hundreds of different utility programs. The most essential are
• Troubleshooting or diagnostic programs that recognize and
correct problems, ideally before they become serious.
• Antivirus programs that guard your computer system against
viruses or other damaging programs that can invade your computer
system.
• Uninstall programs that allow you to safely and completely
remove unneeded programs and related files from your hard disk.
• Backup programs that make copies of files to be used in case the
originals are lost or damaged.
• File compression programs that reduce the size of files so they
require less storage space and can be sent more efficiently over the
Internet. Most operating systems provide some utility programs.
Even more powerful utility programs can be purchased separately
or in utility suites.
• Screen saver a screen saver prevents a monitor’s display screen
from being etched by an unchanging image (burn-in).
• Data recovery a data recovery utility is used to “undelete” a file or
information that has been accidentally deleted. By this function,
users are able to undo the last delete operation that has taken place.
Device Drivers
Every device, such as a mouse or printer that is connected to a computer
system has a special program associated with it. This program, called a
device driver or simply a driver, works with the operating system to
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allow communication between the device and the rest of the computer
system. Each time the computer system is started, the operating system
loads all of the device drivers into memory. Whenever a new device is
added to a computer system, a new device driver must be installed before
the device can be used. Windows supplies hundreds of different device
drivers with its system software. For many devices, the appropriate
drivers are automatically selected and installed when the device is first
connected to the computer system. For others, the device driver must be
manually installed. Fortunately, Windows provides wizards to assist in
this process. For example, Windows’ Add a Device Wizard provides
step-by-step guidance for selecting the appropriate hardware driver and
installing that driver. If a particular device driver is not included with the
Windows system software, the product’s manufacturer will supply one.
Many times these drivers are available directly from the manufacturer’s
Web site.
Programming Language Processors
A program language processor can be either a compiler or an interpreter.
A compiler translates programming codes into machine code all at once
so that an executable file will be created. An interpreter translates a
program line by line for each execution. Interpreters are usually used by
business researchers or software developers who frequently modify their
software and make lots of changes. It is easier to diagnose the
programming errors line by line after the execution. An example is the
BASIC interpreter.
A compiler has the advantage of being able to generate an executable file
for later execution. This file, called the object code, is represented in
binary code (machine code). The original program is called the source
code. Users only need the object code to execute the program. Therefore,
they do not have to compile the program every time they need to run it.
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The drawback is that if there are any programming errors, it is very hard
for the program designers to tell what went wrong. Therefore, compilers
are best used for programs that are fully developed and ready for the user.
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