Word Processing, Web Browsing, File Access, etc.

WindowsOperatingSystem(Kernel)

Window (GUI)

Platform Dependent

Code

Virtual Memory

“Swap”

Block Data Drivers

Character Data

Drivers

Network Interface Drivers

Windows Management

Memory Management

File Systems

Device Control

Network Control

Serial and Parallel Ports

Disk DrivesRAMNetwork

InterfacesCPUComputer

HardwareComputerHardware

Process Management

Word Processing, Web Browsing, File Access, etc.Windows

Windows Management

Windows Manager

The graphical user interface (GUI) is the point and click environment with which you are most familiar when using Windows.

The Windows GUI is started early in order to control the input device (keyboard, mouse, etc…) and the output (computer monitor).

The Windows Manager allows you to create, move, minimize and transfer between applications on the desktop.

Each application is opened in its own window.

Platform Dependent

Code

Virtual Memory

“Swap”

Block Data Drivers

Character Data

Drivers

Network Interface Drivers

Memory Management

File Systems

Device Control

Network Control

Process ManagementWindowsOperatingSystem

Windows KERNEL

The Kernel is the “core” of a Windows operating system. Without it you have a box with useless hardware that generates heat.

The purpose of the Kernel is to manage all hardware, programs and control all system communications.

The Kernel refers to a running program as a process. The Kernel, starts/stops all processes, manages all communications and coordinates all hardware access.

Platform Dependent

Code

Virtual Memory

“Swap”

Block Data Drivers

Character Data

Drivers

Network Interface Drivers

Memory Management

File Systems

Device Control

Network Control

Process ManagementWindowsOperatingSystem

Windows - Memory

One primary function of the Operating System is memory management. That includes not only physical memory (RAM) but also the virtual memory swap area.

When a process is started, its program instructions are loaded into RAM as pages by memory management so the program can run.

As RAM fills with additional processes, memory management moves the code for less active processes to the hard drive swap area.

Platform Dependent

Code

Virtual Memory

“Swap”

Block Data Drivers

Character Data

Drivers

Network Interface Drivers

Memory Management

File Systems

Device Control

Network Control

Process ManagementWindowsOperatingSystem

Windows – File System

The file system manager provides read and write functions between the various disk drives and active applications.

The file system manager interfaces with you, the user, via the application called “Windows Explorer” to allow you to find, open, print, rename, copy, paste, move and delete application (program) files.

Platform Dependent

Code

Virtual Memory

“Swap”

Block Data Drivers

Character Data

Drivers

Network Interface Drivers

Memory Management

File Systems

Device Control

Network Control

Process ManagementWindowsOperatingSystem

Windows – Hardware

Hardware management is the process of controlling communications between the Operating System and a hardware device.

This communication is facilitated with the use of an additional bit of software known as a device driver that is specifically designed for the particular hardware it supports.

Windows – HardwareThe Operating System communicates with all device drivers over the internal bus and depends on the device driver to do the conversion needed to communicate with its particular hardware device.

Device drivers transmit and receive data to and from the hardware device in these formats:

Character - data passed one character at a time.

Block - data passed as blocks of multiple characters.

Network – data passed as multiple character packets with control characters.

Software

Windows Cost Linux CostWindows XP $100 Windows XP $100

Windows Office MS Word MS Excel MS Power Point MS Access MS Publisher MS Outlook

$330 Open Office .org Writer Calc Impress Base Draw Thunderbird (separate)

$0

Photo Shop $190 GIMP $0

Grand Total $620 Grand Total $100