Word Processing, Web Browsing, File Access, etc. Windows Operating System (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 DrivesRAM Network Interfaces CPU Computer Hardware Computer Hardware 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 Management Windows Operating System

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 Management Windows Operating System

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 Management Windows Operating System

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 Management Windows Operating System

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 – Hardware The 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 WindowsCostLinuxCost Windows XP$100Windows 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$190GIMP$0 Grand Total$620Grand Total$100