Chapter 2

The User View of Operating Systems

USER INTERFACE
 User Interface

A program or set of programs that sits as a

layer above the operating system itself
to create computational structures and
access the resources.
Sometimes the program is known as a
shell
provides a mechanism for user to
communicate with the operating system
and request operating system services.

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

User Interface

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

Interface Design
CLI - Command Line Interface
GUI - Graphical User Interface

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

 Command Line Interface
⚫ Interacting with a computer operating system or software by typing
commands to perform specific tasks.
⚫ A command-line interpreter then receives, analyses, and executes the
requested command
⚫ command <operand1> <operand2> …
<switch1> <switch2> …
<options><arguments>
⚫ Unix: C shell, BASH shell, etc
⚫ Windows : MS DOS

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

Command Line Interfaces

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

Command Languages
⚫ Provide a mechanism to combine sequences of commands
together. These pseudo-programs are known as scripts or
batch files.
⚫ Startup files – OS configuration, user preferences
⚫ Features of Command Languages
⚫ Can accept input from the user and can output messages to I/O devices
⚫ Provide ability to create and manipulate variables
⚫ Include the ability to branch and loop
⚫ Ability to specify arguments to the program command and to transfer
those arguments to variables within the program
⚫ Provide error detection and recovery

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

A batch file is a kind of script file in DOS, OS/2 and Windows. It consists of a
series of commands to be executed by the command line interpreter, stored in
a plain text file.
A batch file is an unformatted text file that contains one or more commands
and has a .bat or .cmd file name extension.
When you type the file name at the command prompt, Cmd.exe runs the
commands sequentially as they appear in the file.
Refer: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Video-Game-With-Cmd

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

DOS Batch File

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

UNIX Shell Script

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)
Also known as Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)
Mouse-driven, icon-based, windows & graphical objects.
Windows
◦ Are allocated to the use of a particular program or process
◦ Contain a title bar, menu bar, and widgets

sometimes called an object-oriented interface or an icon-based

interface.

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

GUI Interface – Windows XP
GUI Interface – Linux KDE
GUI Interface - Macintosh
 CLI (Command Line Interface) GUI (Graphical User Interface)
The memorization and familiarity are needed
to operate a command line interface. Users
Ease of Use find it much more difficult to successfully Easy for the user. More User friendly.
navigate and operate a command line
interface.
Although a GUI offers plenty of control
Users have much more control and options of
of a file system and operating system
their file system and operating system. For
often advanced users or users who
Control example, users can easily copy a specific type
need to do specific tasks may need to
of file from one location to another with a one-
resort to a command line to complete
line command.
a particular task.
Although many command line environments
are capable of multitasking they do not offer
the same ease and ability to view multiple GUI users have windows that enable a
Multitasking things at once on one screen. However, user to easily view, control, and
terminals lke GNOME (GNU Network Object manipulate multiple things at once.
Model Environment) allow for multitasking —
one can use multiple terminal windows.

CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS


CLIs usually do not change in their
Appearance
appearance.
Command line use to navigate a
command line interface and often only
need to execute a few lines to perform a
Speed
task. It is much faster than GUI.
A computer that is only using the
command line takes a lot less of the
computers resources. Also, with CLIs
Resources there is no need to install a graphical
layer at all onto a computer system
which saves a lot of resources e.g.
storage space.
CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS
GUIs for particular programmes tend
to change often — mostly with every
major release version. Thus a user
has to invest time over and over
again each time the GUI changes in
order to become familiar again.
A GUI may be easier to use because
of the mouse, however using a
mouse and/or keyboard to navigate
and control be much slower then
working in a command line
environment.
A GUI will require a lot more system
resources because of each of the
elements that need to be loaded
such as icons, fonts, etc. In addition
video drivers, mouse drivers, and
other drivers that need to be loaded
will also take additional resources.

A command line interface enables a
user to easily script a sequence of
Scripting
commands to perform a task or execute
a program.
Often when accessing another
computer or networking device over a
Remote
network a user will only be able to
Access
manipulate the device and/or its files
using a CLI.
CHAPTER 2 USER VIEW OF OPERATING SYSTEMS
Although a GUI enables a user to
create shortcuts, tasks, or other
similar actions to complete a task or
run a program it does not even come
close in comparison to what is
available through a command line.
Although remote graphical access is
becoming popular and is possible.
Not all computers and especially not
all network equipment will have this
ability.