Launching into Computer Science

System Software – Operating Systems

Unit 6

The previous unit gave insights into the software differences; however, this unit extensively describes an essential software, the operating system (OS). Nowadays, we all use computers in any manner, but computers cannot understand human instructions without an OS. Today's famous OS's are Windows and MacOS or for the mobile phones Android and iOS. The OS works side-by-side with the CPU and translates the computer's human instruction to get the wanted output. Moreover, OS is multitasking capable and executes applications and transfers data between parallel processors. The OS assigns the resources in a multitasking environment, controls user access, and keeps up the simultaneity by a deadlock mechanism. Furthermore, the os is responsible for protecting data from unauthorised computer access.

Navigation

Outcomes

  • Summary of the learning outcomes

This unit aims to:

  • Appreciate the functionality, features and tools of OS
  • Identify the select an operating system that is most suitable to accomplish a task
  • Demonstrate the data storage and data access supports OS can provide

  • Artefacts

    The projects of the unit to achieve those learning outcomes:

    OS Investigation
  • Operating System

  • Reflection

What exactly have I learnt and how?

Through the Lecturecast and reading part, I understood the functionality and architecture of OS to perform tasks efficiently. An operating system needs to adapt to the computer according to the number of processors used. In addition, the OS components provide the user with the suitable User Interface to allow the human to communicate with the computer and external devices. Furthermore, I understood that the booting process is responsible for starting the computer by loading the ROM connected to the computer hardware. Through the macOS investigation, I realised how simple it is to set the computer. Besides that, I learnt the basics of the programming language "Python" by completing the first four courses: Basic Skills, Operators, Conditionals and Loops. Thank the "Flode" course, I did not have any difficulties while completing it.

Contact Me