Chapter 6

Systems Software
Overview
 This chapter covers:

 Differences between system software and

application software

 Functions of the operating system

 Functions of utility programs

Systems Software vs. Application
Software
 Systems software acts as a mediator between
application programs and the hardware resources of
the computer system.

 Application software provides the tools to perform

particular tasks on a PC, such as writing a letter,
processing orders, playing games, etc.
The Operating System
 An operating system is a collection of programs
that manages the activities of the computer system.

 Primary responsibilities are management and control.

 The operating system is the go-between, meshing

the user’s application program with the resources of
the system.
Differences Among Operating
Systems
 Command line interfaces and graphical user
interfaces

 Personal operating systems and network operating

systems

 Types of processors supported

Functions of an Operating System
 Booting up the  Monitoring activities
computer and
configuring devices  File management

 Interfacing with users  Security

 Managing resources
and jobs
Common Operating Systems for
Desktop PCs and Servers
 PC operating systems are usually designated for use
on either:
 Desktop PCs

 Network servers

 Some operating systems have versions for both;

some personal operating systems have limited
networking capabilities.
DOS
 PC-DOS and MS-DOS were the dominant operating
systems until the early 1990s.
 DOS traditionally used a command-line interface; it is
not widely used today.
Windows
 A wide variety of Windows versions have existed
over the last several years.

Windows 3.x
Windows 95 & 98
Windows NT
Windows 2000
Windows Me
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Mac OS
 Mac OS is an icon-oriented operating system used
with Apple Macintosh computers.

 The newest version is Mac OS X.

Unix
 Unix is a commonly-used, high-end PC and server
operating system.

 Not built around any one particular family of

microprocessors—can be used on a variety of
computers.

 Though traditionally a command-line operating

system, newer versions of Unix use a GUI.
Linux
 Linux is a version of Unix originally created in 1991.

 Open-source software; has been collaboratively

modified by volunteer programmers all over the
world.

 Traditionally a command-line operating system; some

versions now use a GUI.
NetWare
 NetWare is the most widely used operating system
on PC-based LANs.

 Users of NetWare interact with a shell routine that

fits over their local desktop operating systems.
OS/2 and OS/2 Warp
 OS/2 is an operating system designed by IBM for
high-end PCs.

 The newest versions are called OS/2 Warp.

Alternative PC Operating Systems
 BeOS
 Free operating system

 Can run on both Intel and PowerPC platforms

 
 Solaris
 Designed for Sun computers

 Can run on desktop PCs, servers, and some

supercomputers
 Operating Systems for Mobile
Devices
 Windows CE and other
mobile and embedded
versions of Windows are
commonly used in:
 Handheld PCs

 Mobile phones

 Other mobile devices

Operating Systems for Mobile
Devices, cont’d.
 Palm OS is the operating system used on Palm and
Palm-compatible PCs.

 EPOC
 Operating system based on Symbian platform

 Being promoted as the new industry standard for

smart phones
Operating Systems for Internet
Appliances
 Some Internet appliances run standard desktop or
mobile operating systems, such as a version of
Windows.

 Others use special embedded operating systems

designed for such devices, or proprietary operating
systems geared for one device in particular.
Operating Systems for Larger
Computers
 Larger computers typically used operating systems
designed specifically for that type of system, such as
OS/400 for IBM AS/400 servers.

 Many mainframes today are being made Linux-ready.

 It is becoming increasingly common for

supercomputers to use a conventional operating
system, such as Windows, Unix, or Linux.
Myths About Operating Systems
 One computer can have only one operating system
installed.

 It is difficult to change or upgrade operating systems.

 If you don’t use Windows, you can’t find software.

Utility Programs
 Utility program: a type of systems program written
to perform a specific system task, usually related to
managing or maintaining the system.

 Many utilities are built into operating systems as well

as being available as third-party programs.
Diagnostic Programs
 Diagnostic programs deal primarily with diagnosing
and repairing disk-related problems:

 Recovering damaged or erased files

 Repairing a disk directory

 Backup Utilities
 Backup utilities are programs designed to back up
the contents of a hard disk.

 You can typically

back up the entire
disk or specify
certain files or
folders.
Uninstall Utilities
 Uninstall utilities remove programs from your hard
drive without leaving bits and pieces behind.

 Programs should never be deleted from the hard

drive without using an uninstall procedure, unless
there is no other alternative.
Disk Defragmentation Programs
 Disk defragmentation or disk optimizer programs
rearrange data and programs on the hard drive so
they can be accessed faster.

 As files are stored, retrieved, and restored on a hard

drive, they become increasingly more fragmented.
File Compression Programs
 File compression programs enable files to be stored
in a smaller amount of storage space.

 To return a compressed file back to its original state,

the appropriate compression file is run again to
decompress the file.

 Common programs are WinZip for Windows users

and Stuffit for Mac users.
The Future of Operating Systems
 Will be more user-friendly
 May eventually be driven primarily by a voice
interface
 Will likely be used to access an increasing number of
Internet resources and applications
 Will support on-the-fly networking to synchronize
activities with the various computing devices in the
user’s life