Digital Communication Systems Comp Functions of the Operating System

What is software? A program that tells the computer what to do. There are two (2) categories of software: –Operating system software, sometimes just called system software –Application software

What does the operating system do? Manages the main memory or RAM Configures and controls peripheral devices –Peripheral devices – things attached to computer Manages essential file operations –Formatting disks –Copying, renaming and deleting files

What else does the operating system do? Monitors system performance Provides a user interface such as a graphical user interface (GUI) Can multitask! –Run two or more applications at one time

Other Tasks or Functions of the System Software or Operating System Controls the operation of a computer Is the BOSS of the computer system Boots the computer – turns it on Formats disks

Other Tasks or Functions of the System Software or Operating System Allows you to create folders or directories Saves and retrieves files Moves and copies files

Specific Types of System Software Many types designed for certain types of computers: Used in this classroom –Windows XP Previous versions of Windows: –Windows 2000 –Windows 98

Specific Types of System Software DOS based operating systems (CLI) –MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) Macintosh Computers –OS 8, OS 9, OS 10