Computers Software

Computer Layers Hardware BIOS Operating System Applications

Software Classifications System Software (operating system) Application Software Utility Software Malware  Viruses and worms  Trojan horses  Spyware and adware

Practice „ Click on Antivirus software „ Sophos Enable automatic update  Windows  Mac:

The operating system

Definition found on Wikipedia: “An operating system (OS) is the software that manages the sharing of the resources of a computer and provides programmers with an interface used to access those resources” Most common operating systems: - Windows, DOS (Disk Operating System) (desktops, laptops) - Unix and variants, including Linux (servers) - MacOS - Chrome OS

The operating system Operating systems can be classified as follows: -multi-user : Allows two or more users to run programs at the same time. -multiprocessing : Supports running a program on more than one CPU. -multitasking : Allows more than one program to run concurrently. -multithreading : Allows different parts of a single program to run concurrently.

Operating system Resource management and user interface What resources?

Operating system Process management Memory management Disk and file system Event management and Device drivers Output device management Networking Graphical User Interface Security

Process management Multitasking A process  Running, ready, blocked Time slicing and task switching

File management Logical and physical structure mapping

Memory management: Current computers organize memory resources hierarchically, from registers, CPU cache, RAM and disks. The virtual memory manager coordinates the use of these resources by tracking which one is available, which is to be allocated or deallocated and how to move data between them.

Thrashing Page Fault Thrashing: in the extreme case, there are „ so many active processes competing for main memory that the computer spends most of its time swapping pages. What can you do?

Event management An event is a specific action that produces a reaction in some program.  Type a letter  Move the mouse  Time display Device driver  a computer program allowing higher-level programs to interact with a hardware device  Hardware specific and operating-system dependent Output device management Press a key “S” in writing your term paper

Most operating systems come with an application that provides a user interface for managing the operating system, such as a command line interpreter or graphical user interface (GUI). Operating systems provide a software platform on top of which other programs, called application programs, can run. Your choice of operating system determines the applications you can run. Interaction between operating systems and microprocessors The operating system

Questions: Is web browser a part of an operating system? Is multimedia play a part of an operating system?

Popular Operating Systems Windows Unix Linux MAC OS Palm OS Android Windows Mobile Symbian (obsolete) Blackberry 6 OS

Suite and component Suite  A set of applications, e.g., Office 2007  Interoperability  Sharing code/functionality  Similar feeling Component  With standard interface for interoperability  COM: common object model  CORBA: common object request broker architecture

Web-based Applications An application that is accessed via web browser over a network A computer software application that is coded in a browser- supported language (such as HTML, JavaScript, Java, etc.) and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable. Advantages: Little disk space, automatic upgrade, integrate with other web …procedures, cross-platform compatibility, mobility friendly, business reasons Limits: Internet connectivity, inconsistency in browser implementations, …(currently) limited functionalities Applications: webmail, online sale, wikis, etc. Why did Google develop Chrome/Android?

An example Google application suite

Progression Hardware Software Service  Computing as a service …  Software as a service …  Storage as a service Ex:

Software What is the difference between Internet „Explorer and Chrome?

Software Proprietary „ Open-Source

A few practical tips The computer fails the POST tests „ Likely cause: One of the essential devices is either failing or is missing Try: „ Check for any loose connections (keyboard, …mouse,…} Check that the fans are working … Swap memory

The computer is thrashing „ The computer all used all its RAM resources „and starts using the hard drive as alternative memory, slowing down significantly. Try: „  Close all applications you are not using anymore …  Get more memory for the computer

The computer becomes very hot „ Most probably one of the fans is not „working anymore Detect fans that are not working and „replace them

The computer “freezes” (i.e. becomes non „responsive) There are many possible reasons: „  it looks as if it is frozen The computer may be thrashing …  one application has crashed …  the Window manager is down … Unfortunately, often the only solution is to restart the „computer (either by turning it off first or in the worst case by unplugging it, or by pressing continuously on the on/off button.

OLPC How much is a laptop?

OLPC Operating system: linux Chip: AMD 433MHz 1G Flash drive, no hard disk, no CD/DVD drive, Mesh networking, dual antenna Static version of WIki included, E-book an important functionality