2.2 Types of Computer Software

Prepared by Desmond C.S. Wong

Operating System

An OS is a program (some may say a set of programs) that coordinates all the activities of a computer

Microsoft Windows XP

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Apple Mac OS X

from Apple Computer

Redhat Linux

from computerworld.jp

Linux command-mode

from rr.sans.org

Sun Solaris Unix

from xfce.org

Microsoft DOS

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Microsoft Windows DOS Prompt

Starting a computer

POWER

1. Turn on the power

2. The processor finds the ROM chip that contains the BIOS

from rojakpot.com from dualprocessorcomputers.com

3. The BIOS performs POST

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from wown.info

4. The results of the POST are compared with data in the CMOS chip

from nuwaveinc.com

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5. The BIOS looks for the system files in one of the booting drives

from all-about-pc.de

6. the system files and the #kernel of the OS load into RAM from hard disk/booting drive

from macaddit.com

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…

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7. the OS loads configuration information and displays the interface on the screen

Functions of OS

User interface Job scheduling Program

management Single user/single

tasking Multitasking Multi-user Multiprocessing

Data management Device management Security of access Resources managem

ent Error detection and re

sponse

Types of OS

Standalone MS-DOS, Windows 9X, Windows NT Workstation, Wi

ndows 2000 Prof, Windows ME, Windows XP Home & Prof. Ed., MacOS

Network Netware, Windows NT and 2000 Server, Windows .N

ET Server, UNIX, Linux Embedded

Windows CE, Pocket PC 2002, Palm OS

Utility programs

A utility program is a type of system software that performs a specific task, usually related to managing a computer, its devices, or its programs

Applications software

Application software consists of programs that perform specific tasks for users Word processing Spreadsheet software Database software Presentation graphics software Game Desktop publishing software Anti-virus scanner Web browser and etc.

Forms of applications software

Packaged software Custom software Freeware Public domain software Shareware Software from ASP

Data files

Text document txt, rtf, doc, pdf

Image files bmp, gif, jpeg, png, tiff

Sound files midi, mp3, ra, wav

Video files avi, mov, mpeg, rm

Presentation files ppt

Spreadsheet files xls

Database files dbf, mdb

Relationship among OS, applications s/w and data files

UserApplication Software

Operating System

Data Files

http://www.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/graphics/graphics/8bit_displays.gif

http://www.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/graphics/graphics/1_bit_display.gif