INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

UNIT 4

OPERATING SYSTEMS

An operating system or OS is software on the hard drive that enables the computer hardware to

communicate and operate with the computer software. Without a computer operating system, a
computer and software programs would be useless. The picture to the right is an example
of Microsoft Windows XP, a popular operating system and what the box may look like if you
were to purchase it from a local retail store.

OPERATING SYSTEM TYPES

As computers have progressed and developed, so have the operating systems. Below is a basic
list of the types of operating systems and a few examples of operating systems that fall into each
of the types. Many computer operating systems will fall into more than one of the below types.
 GUI - Short for Graphical User Interface, a GUI operating system contains graphics and
icons and is commonly navigated by using a computer mouse. See the GUI definition for a
complete definition. Examples of GUI operating systems are:
 System 7.x
 Windows 98
 Windows CE
 Multi-user - A multi-user operating system allows for multiple users to use the same
computer at the same time and different times. See the multi-user definition for a complete
definition. Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category are:
 Linux
 Unix
 Windows 2000
 Multiprocessing - An operating system capable of supporting and utilizing more than one
computer processor. Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category are:
 Linux
 Unix
 Windows XP
 Multitasking - An operating system that is capable of allowing multiple software processes
to run at the same time. Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category are:
 Linux
 Unix
 Windows 8
 Multithreading - Operating systems that allow different parts of a software program to run
concurrently. Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category are:
 Linux
  Unix
 Windows XP

1. MS-DOS

Short for Microsoft Disk Operating System, MS-DOS is a non-graphical command line

operating system derived from 86-DOS that was created for IBM compatible computers. MS-
DOS originally written by Tim Paterson and introduced by Microsoft in August 1981and was
last updated in 1994 when MS-DOS 6.22 was released. MS-DOS allows the user to navigate,
open, and otherwise manipulate files on their computer from a command line instead of
a GUI like Windows.

Today, MS-DOS is no longer used; however, the command shell, more commonly known as
the Windows command line is still used by many users. The picture to the right, is an example
of a Windows command line window running in Microsoft Windows 10.

Most computer users are only familiar with how to navigate Microsoft Windows using
the mouse. Unlike Windows, MS-DOS is navigated by using MS-DOS commands. For example,
if you wanted to see all the files in a folder in Windows you would double-click the folder to
open the folder in Windows Explorer. In MS-DOS, you would navigate to the folder using the cd
command and then list the files in that folder using the dir command.

2. MICROSOFT WINDOWS

The Microsoft Windows family of operating systems originated as a graphical layer on top of the
older MS-DOS environment for the IBM PC. When referring to an operating system, Windows
or win is an operating environment created by Microsoft that provides an interface, known as a
Graphical User Interface (GUI), for computers. Windows eliminates the need to memorize
commands for the command line (MS-DOS) by using a mouse to navigate through menus, dialog
boxes, buttons, tabs, and icons. If you are using a PC (IBM) computer you are most likely using
a version of Windows. If you are on an Apple computer you are using macOS.

Microsoft Windows was first introduced with version 1.0 on November 10, 1983. Since its
release, there have been over a dozen versions of Windows. The most current version of
Windows for end users is Windows 10.

Before the release of Microsoft Windows, Microsoft users were used to the single-task command
line operating system MS-DOS. Because Microsoft names most of its products with one word, it
needed a word that best described its new GUI operating system. Microsoft chose "Windows"
because of the multiple windows that allow different tasks and programs to be run at the same
time. Because you cannot trademark a common name like "Windows" it is officially known as
"Microsoft Windows". The first version of Microsoft Windows was version 1.0, released
in 1985.

3. UNIX OPERATION SYSTEM.

UNIX is one of the very oldest operating systems in the computer world, and is still widely used
today. It is also the most common operating system run by servers and other computers that form
the bulk of the Internet. While you may never use UNIX on your local PC, you are using it
indirectly, in one form or another, every time you log on to the 'net.

While few people run UNIX on their own systems, there are in fact a number of different
versions of UNIX available for the PC, and millions of PC users have chosen to install "UNIXy"
operating systems on their own desktop machines. There are dozens of variants of the basic
UNIX interface; the most popular one for the PC platform is Linux, which is itself available in
many flavors. While UNIX operating systems can be difficult to set up and require some
knowledge to operate, they are very stable and robust, are efficient with system resources--and
are generally free or very inexpensive to obtain.

4. WINDOWS NT (WinNT)

Windows NT is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft that featured multi-

processing capabilities, processor independence and multi-user support. The first version was
released in 1993 as Windows NT 3.1, which was produced for servers and workstations. It was
intended for complementing the consumer versions of the MS-DOS-based Windows operating
system that Microsoft released (from Windows 1.0 to 3.1x).

Windows NT was the predecessor to Windows 2000. There were actually two versions of
Windows NT: the first one was Windows NT Server, which was the first purely 32-bit OS
developed by Microsoft, and the second one was the consumer-oriented Windows NT
Workstation, which was available in both 16- and 32-bit versions.

The main design feature of Windows NT was software and hardware portability, with various
versions being released for specific processor architectures. The main goal was to have a
common code base that sported a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) made for each platform.
Windows NT promised to run on everything, so broad software compatibility was done through
the support of several API "personalities," namely, Windows API, POSIX API and OS/2 API;
MS-DOS compatibility was added through a DOS virtual machine.

5. WINDOWS 98

Windows 98 is the operating system from Microsoft that succeeded Windows 95. It was the
second major release in the Windows 9x family. It had significant updates and improvements
over Windows 95, including fixes and support for new peripherals. Windows 98 was succeeded
by Windows 98 Second Edition. Microsoft ended support for the Windows 98 operating system
in mid-2006.

Windows 98's boot sequence was based on MS-DOS, and the operating system introduced
features to help in greater Web integration. It introduced Web-based applications like FrontPage,
Windows Chat, Internet Explorer 4.01 and Outlook Express. There was also greater emphasis on
security, as additional protection was provided for important files along with auto-backing of the
registry feature and enhanced networking. The system file checker had the ability to repair
critical system files and also check the files for any corruption or modification. There was
improved hardware support for devices like USB and DVD, and there was built-in support for
MMX processors and graphics cards. It also had the capability to convert the drive to FAT32
with no loss of data.

One very significant feature in Windows 98 was the Web-based interface. Active Desktop was
introduced, which provided users the ability to customize the desktop with the look and feel of
the Internet. It also introduced NetShow player, which was eventually replaced by Windows
Media Player. NetShow player was a media player which was to function either as a standalone
program or function embedded in Internet Explorer or other webpage’s. Windows 98's taskbar
was more customizable than the one in Windows 95. Multi-display support and power
management was improved. The disk cleanup tool was introduced, which helped in removing
unnecessary files from the system. The disk defragmenter helped in optimizing the performance
of the system.
INTRODUCTION OF E-COMMERE

The astonishing growth of internet and particularly the world wide wed has led to a critical mass
of customer and companies participating in a global on-line market place. Business owners
around the world are increasingly turning to internet to increase the efficiency and profitability.
A large number of companies have come to the net to maintain a electronic presence, market
products, generate sales leads, provide customer support and open up electronic stores that can
be accessed by the internet users. Some benefit are enjoyed by these companies include lower
purchasing cost, lower overheads etc. the internet also provides to be a great equalizer, allowing
the smallest companies to compete against the giants in the industry.

Types of E-commerce

1. Business-to-Business (B2B)
Business-to-Business (B2B) e-commerce encompasses all electronic transactions of goods or
services conducted between companies. Producers and traditional commerce wholesalers
typically operate with this type of electronic commerce.

2. Business-to-Consumer (B2C)
The Business-to-Consumer type of e-commerce is distinguished by the establishment of
electronic business relationships between businesses and final consumers. It corresponds to the
retail section of e-commerce, where traditional retail trade normally operates.

3. Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C)
Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) type e-commerce encompasses all electronic transactions of
goods or services conducted between consumers. Generally, these transactions are conducted
through a third party, which provides the online platform where the transactions are actually
carried out.

4. Consumer-to-Business (C2B)
In C2B there is a complete reversal of the traditional sense of exchanging goods. This type of e-
commerce is very common in crowdsourcing based projects. A large number of individuals make
their services or products available for purchase for companies seeking precisely these types of
services or products.

5. Business-to-Administration (B2A)
This part of e-commerce encompasses all transactions conducted online between companies and
public administration. This is an area that involves a large amount and a variety of services,
particularly in areas such as fiscal, social security, employment, legal documents and registers,
etc. These types of services have increased considerably in recent years with investments made
in e-government.
6. Consumer-to-Administration (C2A)
The Consumer-to-Administration model encompasses all electronic transactions conducted
between individuals and public administration.

Examples of applications include:

 Education – disseminating information, distance learning, etc.

 Social Security – through the distribution of information, making payments, etc.
 Taxes – filing tax returns, payments, etc.
 Health – appointments, information about illnesses, payment of health services, etc.
INTERNET
It is a worldwide/global system of interconnected computer networks. It uses the standard
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Every computer in Internet is identified by a unique IP address. IP
Address is a unique set of numbers (such as 110.22.33.114) which identifies a computer’s
location.
A special computer DNS (Domain Name Server) is used to provide a name to the IP Address so
that the user can locate a computer by a name. For example, a DNS server will resolve a
name https://www.tutorialspoint.com to a particular IP address to uniquely identify the
computer on which this website is hosted.

Internet is accessible to every user all over the world.

INTRANET
Intranet is the system in which multiple PCs are connected to each other. PCs in intranet are not
available to the world outside the intranet. Usually each organization has its own Intranet
network and members/employees of that organization can access the computers in their intranet.
Each computer in Intranet is also identified by an IP Address which is unique among the
computers in that Intranet.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN INTERNET AND INTRANET
 Intranet uses the internet protocols such as TCP/IP and FTP.
 Intranet sites are accessible via the web browser in a similar way as websites in the
internet. However, only members of Intranet network can access intranet hosted sites.
 In Intranet, own instant messengers can be used as similar to yahoo messenger/gtalk over
the internet.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERNET AND INTRANET
 Internet is general to PCs all over the world whereas Intranet is specific to few PCs.
 Internet provides a wider and better access to websites to a large population, whereas
Intranet is restricted.
 Internet is not as safe as Intranet. Intranet can be safely privatized as per the need.

EMAIL - ELECTRONIC MAIL

Short for electronic  mail, email (or e-mail) is defined as  the transmission of messages
over communications networks. Typically the messages are notes entered from the keyboard or
electronic files stored on disk. Most mainframes, minicomputers, and computer networks have
an email system.
Some electronic mail systems are confined to a single computer system or network, but others
have gateways to other computer systems, enabling users to send electronic mail anywhere in the
world. Companies that are fully computerized make extensive use of e-mail because it is fast,
flexible, and reliable.

TYPICAL COMPONENTS OF AN EMAIL SYSTEM

Most email systems include a rudimentary text editor for composing messages, but many allow
you to edit your messages using any editor you want. Some systems will also provide basic
formatting, including bold, italics, font color and HTML. You can use the program to send the
message to a recipient by specifying the recipient's address. You can also send the same message
to several users at once. This is called broadcasting.
Sent messages are stored in electronic mailboxes until the recipient fetches them. To see if you
have any mail, you may have to check your electronic mailbox periodically, although many
systems alert you when mail is received. After reading your mail, you can store it in a text file,
forward it to other users, or delete it. Copies of memos can be printed out on a printer if you want
a paper copy.
‘To’ refers to the person you are sending the email to. Simple enough.
‘CC’ and ‘BCC’ are leftovers from the typewriter area, but still useful.
‘CC’ stands for ‘Carbon Copy’ and originally meant that the person or persons mentioned in the
‘CC’ received a copy of the letter, or in our case, the email. In the case of a letter, all people
mentioned in the ‘CC’ would see who else had a copy of the letter.
If you use ‘CC’ in emails, all of the receivers will be able to see who else has received a copy of
the email. In business use, that can be useful, but if you are sending out a resume or bank loan
application to multiple organizations, not so much. :-)

That is where ‘BCC’ comes in. it originally stood for ‘Blind Carbon Copy’, and if you use this
option in an email, you can send the same email to dozens of people, and they will all receive a
copy of the email, but not see who else has received a copy of the email.

So, in summary, just use the ‘To’ option in one to one emails, the ‘CC’ option if you want to
include extra people and let them see who else has received a copy of the email, or ‘BCC’ if you
don’t want the extra people to see who else has received a copy of the email.

BENEFITS OF EMAIL

 It is more personal & direct medium for communication.

 Messages are delivered within seconds around the world.
 It allows to save & keep a record of your communication.
 Easy to send with no time bound.
 Good example of One-To-Many communication.
 You may attach files, documents, images, & other media to an email.
 You can access your email from anywhere with Internet connection kept on.
 Activate your filters and receive only genuine mails.

WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW)

The world wide web is known as WWW or W3 or Web. The world wide web is an architectural
frame work for accessing linked documents and repository of information spread all over the
Internet. The WWW has a unique combination of flexibility, portability and user-friendly
features that distinguish it from other services provided by the Internet. The main reason for its
popularity is the use of a concept called hypertext. Hypertext is a new way of information
storage and retrieval, which enables authors to structure information in novel ways. An
effectively designed hypertext document can help users rapidly locate the desired type of
information from the vast amount of information on the Internet. Hypertext documents enable
this by using a series of links. A link is a special type of item in a hypertext document, which
connects the document to another document that provides more information about the linked
item.

Hypertext documents on the Internet are known as Web pages. Web pages are created by using a
special language called hypertext markup language (HTML). HTML is becoming a de-facto
industrial standard for creating Web pages.

The WWW uses the client-server model, and an Internet protocol called hypertext transport
protocol (HTTP) for interaction between the computers on the Internet. Any computer on the
Internet, which uses the HTTP protocol is called a Web server and any computer, which can
access that server is called a Web client.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) – To access a webpage, one requires an address. For any data
access distributed all over world, WWW uses the concept of locators. Any kind of information
can be defined on the Internet using the standard URL. URL defines three things – method, host
computer and pathname.

Method – It is the protocol used to retrieve the document. For example, Gopher, FTP, HTTP,
news, TELNET, etc.

Host- It is the computer at which the information is available.

Path – It is the path name of the file where the information is located.