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After studying this lesson, you will have a better understanding on, What is an Operating System Functions of an Operating

System Advantages of an Operating System User Interface and Graphical User Interface How to use Windows operating system

5.1 Computer Operating System Introduction


As a student who studies Information Communication, you may be a frequent user of computer. If someone asks you the most essential software system for the function of the computer, the answer should be the operating system. When we use the computer, the operating system functions automatically, creating an environment for us to use the computer. MS DOS, Windows (XP, ME, Vista) UNIX, Linux and Mac OS are some of the most commonly used operating systems. In that sense, the most essential software installation for a computer at present should be a properly installed operating system that functions properly. The main functions of a computer operating system are to provide an interface for its users by managing computer software and hardware so that they can access the relevant resources. Moreover, a computer operating system should coordinate all the tools to get the maximum benefit. However, the user sees a user-friendly interface here as the operating system does not show the internal information outside.
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The relationship between the modern computer system and user can be shown as follows. User
Bank Management Systems Compilers Office Softwares Editors Operating Systems Hardware Figure - 5.1 Web Browser Command Interpreters

}Application Programs }System Software }Hardware

The lowest layer of this system is hardware. All the physical appliances belong to this. Operating Systems, Editors, Command Interpreters, Compliers and Utility Software belong to the layer of System Software. Software such as Bank Management Systems, Office Software and Web Browser belong to the next layer; Application Programs. The user fulfils his requirements using the Application Programs.

Function of an Operating System


Apart from providing an interface to the user, the function of an operating system can be explained in four categories.
1. Memory Management 2. Process Management 3. Device Management 4. File Management

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1. Memory Management
Operating systems operate memory when the computer software needs memory. This is called Memory Management. Another function of an operating system is to create space for memory to do various tasks. Computer memory is managed by the operation system when several processes are done simultaneously so that there will be no clash. Another function of an operating system is to release the memory to do a new task when the previous task is totally completed. It is a responsibility of an operating system to manage memory to avoid clashes when there are many users.

2. Process Management
The basic concept of a modern operating system is processes. A process is an operating collection of Program Instructions. Things such as a collection of symbols, relevant data, other relevant tools and the Central Processing Unit are used in a process. Imagine the user needs to input data from a keyboard or to get data by reading a file. Compared the speed of the Central Processing Unit, the speed of data input is very slow. So, the Central Processing Unit is in an idle state during this time. What happens in a multi - processing environment is another process is started during this time. When the data input of the first process is over, a remaining part of the first process is being operated. Therefore, it seems that two systems are running parallel. But what actually happens is the controlling of the processes using the methods like time allocation.

3. Device Management
The biggest challenge a computer operating system faces can be the device management. An operating system has to handle various devices in various ways. Some examples for these can be the hardware of a computer such as the printer, memory and the mother board. The factors such as the speed of the process, amount of information, its purpose, direction where information flows, protocol used to transfer information and communication rules affect the management of devices.
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For example, if you want to read a letter in the hard disk, accessing the hard disk will appear to be a very simple task. But this can be considered a collection of a number of small processes. This task will be fulfilled by the coordination of I / O Hardware and I / O Software input output devices and the software.

When you prepare a letter using Word processing software and print it, the input signals given to the computer by the Assignment 5. 1 keyboard is sent to the operating system by the input output software. The operating system identifies the relevant signals and sends it to the Word processing software so that it can displays the relevant letters on the computer screen. Discuss how the input output software is used here.

4. File Management
You may have used Files to save information in computer and retrieved those you have saved without any issue. It is very important for a computer to save files in a place we want and to manage those properly. Think of a file in an office for example. There is a file which includes the personal details as well. Likewise, there is a file which includes official matters and sales details. If these three files are saved in three different places in the hard disk, it will be a difficult, time consuming task for us to find a particular document which includes these details. If all the three files are saved in the same place, the task will be very easy. File management is very useful here. Operating system manages the processes of organizing, naming, protecting, accessing and using the files. This is called the file management. File management programme gives oppertunity to create, delete, copy, move or rename files and folders.

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Advantages of an Operating System


An operating system, 1. Provides an interface between the computer and the user. 2. Helps to use the computer by coordinating the resources in a computer such as other software, hardware, devices, memory and data. 3. Enables a person to use the computer even without any knowledge of coding. Some operating systems provide user friendly interface which makes it easier for the users to use a computer.

Assignment 5.2

Study several operating systems used in micro computers and prepare a list of the advantages and disadvantages of the micro computers to its users.

5.2 User Interface


According to the nature of the computer user interface, there are two types.
1. CLI Command Line Interface 2. GUI Graphical User Interface

1. CLI Command Line Interface


A user should type according to the given instructions or special commands here. The user should keep these commands in mind according to the special rules. This interface is called the Command Line Interface and you can see this in operating systems such as Ms Dos, Unix and Linux.

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Figure - 5.2 Ms Dos Interface

2. GUI Graphical User Interface


A graphical interface is used here to make the use of the computer easier for the user here. There is no need to keep the commands in mind here and the computer can be handled very easily using graphic. The following devices can be seen in the operating systems based on GUI. 1. 2. 3. 4. Windows Icons Menu Pointer

1. Windows
Rectangular area of a computer screen which uses to do some functions is called Windows. Various software programmes or files can be displayed in each Window. Further, these Windows can be dragged here and there on computer screen. We can even change the sizes of these as well.

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2. Icons
Small pictures which represent commands, files or Windows are called icons. We can operate the commands or software by double clicking these icons.

3. Menu
The list of commands and options in software is called the menu. We can operate the commands by selecting the commands in the menu. The menu consists of the Menu Bar and Sub Menus.

4. Pointer
This is a movable symbol on the computer screen which is used to select the commands and objects displayed on the computer screen. Mostly this is shown in a small arrow (E.g.: Mouse Pointer) and the letter I shows the Beam Pointer. This can be moved anywhere on the computer screen and commands can be operated by dragging the pointer to the icon.

Computer Screen
The Desktop where all the icons are organized is called the computer screen. The first thing we can see when we operate the computer is the computer screen.

Quick Lounch
Quick launch access can be seen on the right of the button in K in K Desktop environment In some Ubuntu and Knopix systems (these operation systems are based on Linux) and on the right of the Start Button in Ms Windows operation system. You can get the shortcuts here to reach the software which you frequently use. The first GUI Interface was designed in 1970s by Xerox Corporations Palo Alto Research Centre. However, this remained unsuccessful till Graphical User Interface became popular in Apple Macintosh computers.

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Figure 5.3 - Graphical User Interface of Windows Operating System

Advantages of Graphical User Interface


1. The user can use the icons displayed in a Graphical User Interface very easily. Not only selecting icons and the menu, but also operating the computer can be done very easily as the pointing device can be moved throughout the computer screen. 2. Even the users who do not have a sound knowledge in handling computers can use the computer using the Graphical User Interface (GUI). GUI provides the user with a very user friendly interface. 3. As GUI displays the complex processes attractively, the user can gain a sound knowledge about the commands he uses. For an example, when a file is copied, this displays how the file is being copied part by part using relevant pictures. 4. This provides tool tips when the pointer is kept for some time on the icon. With the help of these labels, it is very easy to understand things which user does not know.

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5.3 Files and Folders in Windows Operating System Windows Explorer


Windows Explorer is the graphical interface of the File Manager Application which was designed after Ms Windows 95. This enables us to access files and folders. Further we can access the computer hardware and all the memory storages through the same window. You can access windows explorer by double clicking the icon My Computer, pressing the Windows key and E together or through Start Menu. This chapter is explained according to Windows XP, which is commonly used at present and there can be slight different in other windows operating systems. Study Windows Explorer window and prepare a table to show the changes among several windows operating systems.

Assignment 5.3

Figure - 5.4 - Windows Explorer Window 100

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The main menu is the highest layer of this Windows Explorer window. There are three toolbars below that. 1. Standard Button. 2. Address Bar. 3. Links.

1. Standard Button
You can change this as you wish. Some commands can be operated using the tools in the Toolbar. You can change the tools as follows;
View Toolbars Customize

2. Address Bar
Apart from accessing internal and external data storages, this enables us to access the outside web pages. The Address Bar can be used as a Command Line as well.

3. Link
You can change the links as you wish using the short cuts for the web pages you frequently browse. 1. Explore your folder saved in My Documents using Address Bar. Assignment 5.4 2. Prepare standard buttons as you wish. 3. Add the short cuts of the search engines you browse frequently to links tool bar. The area below the toolbars mentioned above is called the data area. This is normally divided into two. However, this can be changed as one or two columns as well.
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Explorer Bar
This is the left, vertical column of the Windows Explorer. This shows a hierarchical view of the memory storages of your computer. You can see the content of this folder by clicking on + mark which is with on the folders. Further, you can unfold the content of the folder by clicking the mark with the folder. When you click on the folders or sub folders on Task Pane, the content is displayed on the right side of the screen.

Drives
The memory storages displayed on the Windows Explorer can be called the drives. In Windows XP, A: and B: show floppy disk drives while C: and D: show the partition of the hard disk. After naming those partitions, the next English letters are used to name CD / DVD drives and an English letter which comes after that is used to name USB Port which is connected externally.

Files and Extensions


A file which is saved in the hard disk or any other removable disk (CD / DVD) or USB pens are identified by its name. Using the extensions of the files, we can identify the type of the file. For example, if you have an extension with 'exe', you can operate those by just double clicking on those while doc shows a word file created using MS Word.

Assignment 3.5

Prepare a list of the extensions you see in your computer and mention the features of the files which have extensions.

Recycle bin
When a file is deleted, it is removed from the hard disk and it goes to the folder called recycle bin. Therefore, there is a chance of getting it back. However, if you delete the file even from the recycle bin, you cannot retrieve the file again.
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Using Linux Operating System


Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie and the group created the operating system called UNIX in 1969. Based on the copies issued of UNIX, later on the operating systems called BSD, Saloris and Mac OS were created. In addition, taking the concepts of UNIX as models, Andrew Tanenbaum created the operating system called Minix to facilitate supplementary teaching roles. After obtaing a computer by Linus Torvalds who was studying computer science at the University of Helsink at the time, used the operating system Minix. As he was not satisfied with that operating system, he started creating his own. Though his creation had similarities with (similar features) Minix, he did not use programmes taken from Minix. This new operating system was named as Linux.. Later on, including GNU software creator by Free Software Foundation on Massachuset, Linux Operating system was upgraded into a higher standard. Therefore, that operating system is named as GNU/Linux too. Linux programmes were originally created as free and an open operating system. It was popular only among the friends and with time it became famous in the world. At the same time software which could be used in Linux operating systems originated all over the world. Software created to meet the demands of the present world is competitively improving with the commercial software. Numerous companies and Associations in the world amend these software with which can be used with open and free operating systems to suit the different needs and release them through internet or in purchasable CDs. Among these release Ubuntu, Debiam, Redhat and Suse have become popular. They are in two forms such as live CDs and installed CDs. Using live CDs we can use a computers without installing. When installing Linux Operating Systems to a computer all the release are mainly similar.

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Unlike Windows Operating system, there are various interface set-ups created to use in Linux. Among them, Gnome, KDE3, KDE4, XFCE4 and Enlighten can be stated into the descending order of popularity. Figure 5.5 depicts the screen of Gnome interface setup. Through it was inconvenient to use Linux for the users in the past; the increasing number of common users at present proves it to be convenient now. By using Gnome interface setup Its clearly seen that windows users to use Linux conveniently.

Figure: 5.5

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