Lesson 6A

Introduction to Computers
The Operating System (OS)

The operating system (OS) is software

that controls the interaction between

hardware and user software

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 User Interface

The items you see on the computer

screen are the user interface

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Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A GUI is a user interface that is made

up of graphic objects instead of text

commands

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 Desktop

The computer’s main interface

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 Icons

The graphic objects that you see on the

desktop are called icons

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 Taskbar

The taskbar appears at the bottom of

the Windows desktop and lets you

launch and manage software programs

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Start Button and Start Menu

Click the Start button to open the Start

menu, which provides access to your

software programs

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Shortcut or Context Menu

Right-click on an object to access a

shortcut or context menu that has the

object’s most-used commands

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 Window

When a software program runs, it

appears in a rectangular frame, called a

window

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 Parts of a Window
Title bar
Minimize, Maximize and Close buttons
Scroll bars
Toolbars
Menu bar

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 Active Window

The window that is currently in use

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Menus and the Menu Bar

You choose some tasks from

commands in lists called menus,

accessed from the menu bar

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 Dialog Box

Gives you choices for what you want

the software to do next

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 Clipboard
Temporary holding area for data that is
being copied or moved
Choosing Edit: Cut or Copy places
information on the Clipboard
Edit: Paste places the information from
the Clipboard into the document

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 Multitasking

The computer’s ability to perform two or

more procedures simultaneously

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Two Kinds of Multitasking
Cooperative multitasking
Preemptive multitasking

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 File Management

Manage files by saving them in folders

in a hierarchical file system

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How the Operating System
Manages Hardware

Processing Interrupts
Providing Drivers
Networking computers

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 Utility

A utility is a software program that

enhances or extends the operating

system’s capabilities

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 Kinds of Utilities
Disk defragmenter
Data compression
Backup
Disk management
Screen savers

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Lesson 6A

The Operating System and

User Interface
 Review Questions

What is the Operating System?

What is a Graphical User Interface?
What is the Clipboard?
What are the two kinds of
multitasking?

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