Operating System(1.3)

• Operating systems

  To enable computer systems to function and to allow users to communicate with computer systems
• General tasks for a typical operating system


  1. Control of the operation of the input, output and backing storage devices (memory management)

  2. Supervising the loading, running and storage of applications programs

  3. Dealing with errors that occur in application programs

  4. Maintaining security of the whole computer system

  5. Maintaining a computer log

  6. Allowing communication (user interface) between user and the computer system
• There is no standard OS, many different types are available
• OS for computer systems


  • Windows
  • Unix
  • macOS
  • Linux
• The most widely used OS for computer is Windows
• OS for mobile devices


  • Android
  • iOS
• The most widely used OS for mobile devices is Android
• Types of User interfaces in Operating Systems


  • Command line interface (CLI)
  • Graphical user interface (GUI)
  • Dialogue-based user interface
  • Gesture-based user interface
• Command line interface (CLI)


  Requires a user to type in instructions to choose options from menus, open software, etc
• Graphical user interface (GUI)


  Allows the user to interact with a computer using pictures or symbols (icons) rather than having to type in a number of commands
• Dialogue-based user interfaces


  Use the human voice to give commands to a computer system
• Dialogue-based user interfaces


  • Voice activation in luxury modern cars to control devices such as the in-car entertainment system or satellite navigation system
• Gesture-based interfaces


  Rely on human interaction by the moving of hands, head or even the feet
• Types of computer systems


  • Desktop computers
  • Mobile computers (laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, phablets)
• Desktop computers


  General-purpose computer made up of separate monitor, keyboard, mouse and processor unit, not very portable
• Laptop (or notebook)


  Computer where the monitor, keyboard, pointing device and processor are all together in one single unit, extremely portable
• Smartphones


  Allow normal phone calls, have an operating system allowing them to run computer applications, use a camera, MP3/4 players, and allow users to send/receive emails and communicate with the internet
• Tablets


  Work in a similar way to a smartphone, use touch screen technology and do not have a conventional keyboard
• Phablet


  Hybrid between a tablet and a smartphone, have much larger screens than a smartphone but are smaller than a tablet
• Artificial intelligence (AI)


  A machine or application which carries out a task that requires some degree of intelligence, such as using language, recognising a person's face, operating machinery, analysing data to predict the outcome of a future event
• Extended reality (XR) refers to real and virtual combined environments, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR)
• Augmented reality (AR)


  • Allows the user to experience the relationship between digital (virtual) and physical (real) worlds, virtual information and objects are overlaid onto real-world situations, the real world is enhanced with digital details, the user can experience the AR world through special goggles or via smartphone/phablet screens, the user is not isolated from the real world and is still able to interact and see what is going on in front of them
• Augmented reality (AR)


  • The Pokémon GO game which overlays digital creatures onto real-world situations
• Virtual reality (VR)


  • Ability to take the user out of the real-world environment into a virtual (unreal) digital environment, users must wear a VR headset or a head-mounted display which allows a 360° view of the virtual world, can be used in medicine, construction, engineering and the military