UNIT 3

VOCABULARY
CLI (command line interface) - a text-only link between a computer and its
operator

compression - a method of packing data in order to save disk storage space or

download time

device driver - software which converts the data from a component or peripheral
into data that an operating system can use

file permissions- a set of strict rules for controlling read, write, and execute access
to a file or directory

format - prepare a device to store data, erasing any existing data

GUI (graphical user interface) - an icon based link between a computer and its
operator

hidden file - a file which does not appear by default in a directory listing; normally
for security reasons or to spare confusion in end users

kernel - the fundamental part of an operating system responsible resource

management and file access

Linux - an open source version of Unix developed by Linus Torvalds

multitasking - concurrent execution of two or more tasks by a processor

OS (operating system) - a GUI or CLI software link between the computer and
operator; also provides a framework for productivity software such as an office
suite, web browser, or programming languages

sign in - to enter information related to an account name and its password in order to
access a computer resource

sign out - to end a session with computer or network resource

a software program which mimics the performance of one or

VM (virtual machine) -
more hardware devices in order to run software independently of the actual
hardware

X11 (X Window System) -a software toolkit for UNIX systems underlying numerous
GUI window managers including KDE and Gnome
 Learning About Operating Systems
An operating system is a generic term for the multitasking software layer that lets you
perform a wide array of 'lower level tasks' with your computer. By low-level tasks we mean:

 the ability to sign in with a username and password

 sign out the system and switch users
 format storage devices and set default levels of file compression
 install and upgrade device drivers for new hardware
 install and launch applications such as word processors, games, etc
 set file permissions and hidden files
 terminate misbehaving applications

A computer would be fairly useless without an OS, so today almost all computers come with
an OS pre-installed. Before 1960, every computer model would normally have it's own OS
custom programmed for the specific architecture of the machine's components. Now it is
common for an OS to run on many different hardware configurations.

At the heart of an OS is the kernel, which is the lowest level, or core, of the operating system.
The kernel is responsible for all the most basic tasks of an OS such as controlling the file
systems and device drivers. The only lower-level software than the kernel would be the BIOS,
which isn't really a part of the operating system. We discuss the BIOS in more detail in another
unit.

The most popular OS today is Microsoft Windows, which has about 85% of the market share
for PCs and about 30% of the market share for servers. But there are different types of
Windows OSs as well. Some common ones still in use are Windows 98, Windows 2000,
Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows Server. Each Windows OS is optimized for
different users, hardware configurations, and tasks. For instance Windows 98 would still run on
a brand new PC you might buy today, but it's unlikely Vista would run on PC hardware
originally designed to run Windows 98.

There are many more operating systems out there besides the various versions of Windows,
and each one is optimized to perform some tasks better than others. Free BSD,
Solaris, Linux and Mac OS X are some good examples of non-Windows operating systems.
Geeks often install and run more than one OS an a single computer. This is possible with dual-
booting or by using a virtual machine. Why? The reasons for this are varied and may include
preferring one OS for programming, and another OS for music production, gaming, or
accounting work.
An OS must have at least one kind of user interface. Today there are two major kinds of user
interfaces in use, the command line interface (CLI) and the graphical user interface (GUI).
Right now you are most likely using a GUI interface, but your system probably also contains a
command line interface as well.
Typically speaking, GUIs are intended for general use and CLIs are intended for use by
computer engineers and system administrators. Although some engineers only use GUIs and
some diehard geeks still use a CLI even to type an email or a letter.

Examples of popular operating systems with GUI interfaces include Windows and Mac OS
X. Unix systems have two popular GUIs as well, known as KDE and Gnome, which run on top
of X-Windows. All three of the above mentioned operating systems also have built-in CLI
interfaces as well for power users and software engineers. The CLI in Windows is known as
MS-DOS. The CLI in Max OS X is known as the Terminal. There are many CLIs for Unix and
Linux operating systems, but the most popular one is called Bash.

In recent years, more and more features are being included in the basic GUI OS install,
including notepads, sound recorders, and even web browsers and games. This is another
example of the concept of 'convergence' which we like to mention.

A great example of an up and coming OS is Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a Linux operating system which
is totally free, and ships with nearly every application you will ever need already installed. Even
a professional quality office suite is included by default. What's more, thousands of free,
ready-to-use applications can be downloaded and installed with a few clicks of the mouse.
This is a revolutionary feature in an OS and can save lots of time, not to mention hundreds or
even thousands of dollars on a single PC. Not surprisingly, Ubuntu's OS market share is
growing very quickly around the world.

As an IT professional, you will probably have to learn and master several, if not all, the popular
operating systems. If you think this sort of thing is fun and interesting, then you have definitely
chosen the right career ;)

We have learned a little about operating systems in this introduction and you are ready to do
more research on your own. The operating system is the lowest software layer that a typical
user will deal with every day. That is what makes it special and worth studying in detail.
READING COMREHENSION:

1. At the heart of every operating system, is the kernel, which controls the
supply of electricity to the processor.
TRUE FALSE
2. Files permissions and hidden files are controlled by file compression
TRUE FALSE
3. Low level tasks include formatting storage devices&managing device
drivers
TRUE FALSE
 Discussion Questions

1. Which operating systems have you tried? Which do you like

best? Why?
2. What users typically prefer CLI operating systems?
3. What users typically prefer GUI operating systems? Why?