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Operating Systems
Operating systems, both proprietary and open-source, include those produced by Microsoft, Linux, and Apple Mac
4,423 Questions
What are the four types of operating systems and give examples of each?
Within the broad family of operating systems, there are generally four types, categorized based on the types of computers they control and the sort of applications they support. The categories are:
- Real-time operating system (RTOS) - Real-time operating systems are used to control machinery, scientific instruments and industrial systems. An RTOS typically has very little user-interface capability, and no end-user utilities, since the system will be a "sealed box" when delivered for use. A very important part of an RTOS is managing the resources of the computer so that a particular operation executes in precisely the same amount of time, every time it occurs. In a complex machine, having a part move more quickly just because system resources are available may be just as catastrophic as having it not move at all because the system is busy.
- Single-user, single task - As the name implies, this operating system is designed to manage the computer so that one user can effectively do one thing at a time. The Palm OS for Palm handheld computers is a good example of a modern single-user, single-task operating system.
- Single-user, multi-tasking - This is the type of operating system most people use on their desktop and laptop computers today. Microsoft's Windows and Apple's MacOS platforms are both examples of operating systems that will let a single user have several programs in operation at the same time. For example, it's entirely possible for a Windows user to be writing a note in a word processor while downloading a file from the Internet while printing the text of an e-mail message.
- Multi-user - A multi-user operating system allows many different users to take advantage of the computer's resources simultaneously. The operating system must make sure that the requirements of the various users are balanced, and that each of the programs they are using has sufficient and separate resources so that a problem with one user doesn't affect the entire community of users. Unix, VMS and mainframe operating systems, such as MVS, are examples of multi-user operating systems.
Why do you need a device driver on your computer?
A device driver is a set of rules and instructions that your operating system uses to know how to communicate with a specific piece of hardware like a scanner, printer and even the video and sound cards on your computer. As you get different types of printers, video cards, sound cards, etc your operating system needs this driver information to know how to send instructions to these devices in order for it to use them correctly.
Definition of scheduling in operating system?
the objective of multiprograming is to have some processs running at aal time,so as to maximizing cpu utillization .this process is called scheduling.
"Open source" means it is written in or related to a type of computer programming code that is available to the public.
See related links for details.
What type of operating system do most people use on their computers today?
Linux is the best operating system for some people. Linux is fast and you can have a lot of applications running at the same time with networking and printing + a lot of external services and devices (like a sub or CD ) you can use this at the same time and the system wont get so easily overloaded!!
What is Micro-kernel What are the benefits of Micro-kernel?
A microkernel performs only the most basic functions that apply to all computers. A benefit is that it's much simpler to extend the operating system.
How do you check that components meet the required specification operating conditions?
You must insert the component deep within the anus.
What operating system does russia use?
Doesn't exist yet. They are still arguing whether to have one or not.
What is the importance of filesystem?
File Storage ensures reliability is data structures and storage in the operating systems.
It also manages access to the data and the metadata of the files, and manages the available space of the device(s) which contain it
Examples:
• The getPath method converts a system dependent path string, returning a Path object that may be used to locate and access a file.
• The getPathMatcher method is used to create a PathMatcher that performs match operations on paths.
• The getFileStores method returns an iterator over the underlying file-stores
When is appropriate for the operating system to forsake the principle and to waste resources?
Single-user systems should maximize use of the system for the user. A GUI might "waste" CPU cycles, but it optimizes the user's interaction with the system. For example, when we use PCs or handheld computers, it's appropriate for the operating system to forsake this principle and to "waste" resources. Because those operating systems are designed mostly for individual usability, for ease of use, with some attention paid to performance, and none paid to resource utilization.
Where can an image of the boot tape for Multics on the Honeywell 6180 be found?
The Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA has boot tape images for Multics converted from the magnetic tapes that came with the DOCKMASTER system. CHM also has hardware from this system.
Is unix a graphical user interface?
No, its an operation system.
But many GUIs have been written to run on unix.
Unix is not a graphical user interface (GUI). It is an operating system that originally did not have a graphic interface and still does not have a GUI interface as part of the system. The standard user interface in UNIX is a command line as in a terminal session, similar to a windows command line interface.
Various graphic user interfaces are available for the unix and linux platform. Nearly all are based on the X Windows System (or X or X11 for version 11). X is a system for describing via API (program calls) and tables all the parts of a GUI including window attributes, position, boundaries, menus, mouse/pointer and input support. Nearly all unix/linux implementations as well as some other systems use X to create the windowing environment from the simple TWM (Tab Windows Manager) to DecWindows, Motif, CDE (Common Desktop Environment), to Gnome, KDE, xfc, and many more.
It wasn't just a GUI environment for a computer. It was a client/server environment that allowed remote control of a machine from elsewhere on a network or the internet. The commands to start the windowing environment on your machine also allowed you to specify that all the graphic display output generated on your machine from your session (the client) should be sent to another machine running an X windows Server.
What happen if operating system is not installed in computer system?
The computer starts but will not do anything useful. The Operating System is what creates any user interface.
when you start up your PC in your BIOS there is a boot sequence normally it will check for something to boot from out of the HD first (in some cases it will look at the floppy drive first...usually on really old machines) if it doesn't find anything in the Hard Drive(aka your OS) it will follow the boot sequence until it finds something to boot from if it doesn't find anything to boot from (such as a live CD) then it will display something along the lines of "error: boot device not found"...i hope that answers your question
(by the way you can change the boot seq in your BIOs if you were thinking about installing a new OS)
Whether the operating system should include application such as web browser and mail program?
Nobody has exactly definied what an Operating System is. If it is the kernel only, then the answer is no. If it is the kernel, the common libraries, the GUI and the applications together, then the answer is yes.
What is the main use of the eCos software?
eCos is a free and open-source real time operating system intended for embedded applications and systems which need only one process with multiple threads. It is designed to be customisable.
2 operating systems on 1 hard drive?
Requires that a special program be loaded into your boot sector.
Try System Partitioner. Most operating systems allow you to partition your hard drive; you do not need additional software to partition your hard drive. TIP: Make the sizes markedly different so that it is easier to recognize which drive is which. Once you have partitioned your hard drive you effectively have two hard drives (or more if you want to). You can load one operating system on one drive and the second on the other.
What are the three general methods for passing parameters to the operating system?
Stacks, pointers and registers
What are the five generations of operating systems in history?
First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes Sponsored
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The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums formemory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions.
First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.
The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951. Second Generation (1956-1963) TransistorsTransistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.
Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry. Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated CircuitsThe development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitorsand interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors. Fourth Generation (1971-Present) MicroprocessorsThe microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer-from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls-on a single chip.
In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors.
As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handhelddevices. Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial IntelligenceFifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.
DID YOU KNOW...?
An integrated circuit (IC) is a small electronic device made out of a semiconductor material. The first integrated circuit was developed in the 1950s by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments and Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor.
