Operating Systems Windows and Linux

Remember the following words and word combinations.

1. kernel - ядро

2. comprehensive – универсальный, комплексный

3. extendible - расширяемый

4. conform, v - соответствовать

5. port, v - переносить

6. predominance - господство

7. swipe, v – сдвинуть (активный экран)

8. built-in support – встроенная поддержка

Read and translate the text.

Text 2 Linux

Linux is a Unix-like operating system that was designed to provide personal computer users a free or very low-cost operating system comparable to traditional and usually more expensive Unix systems. Linux has a reputation as a very efficient and fast-performing system. Linux's kernel was developed by Linus Torvalds at the University of Helsinki in Finland. To complete the operating system, Torvalds and other team members made use of system components developed by members of the Free Software Foundation for the GNU Project.

Linux is a remarkably complete operating system, including a graphical user interface, an X Window System, TCP/IP, the Emacs editor, and other components usually found in a comprehensive Unix system.

Unlike Windows and other proprietary systems, Linux is publicly open and extendible by contributors. Because it conforms to the Portable Operating System Interface standard user and programming interfaces, developers can write programs that can be ported to other operating systems. Linux comes in versions for all the major microprocessor platforms including the Intel, PowerPC, Sparc, and Alpha platforms.

Linux is sometimes suggested as a possible publicly-developed alternative to the desktop predominance of Microsoft Windows. Although Linux is popular among users already familiar with Unix, it remains far behind Windows in numbers of users. However, its use in the business enterprise is growing.

Windows 8

The next major release of the Microsoft Windows operating system, Windows 8 officially debuted on October 26th, 2012.

According to Microsoft, Windows 8 is a completely redesigned operating system developed from the ground up with touchscreen use in mind as well as near-instant-on capabilities that enable a Windows 8 PC to load and start up in a matter of seconds rather than in minutes.

Windows 8 replaces the more traditional Microsoft Windows OS look and feel with a new design system interface named “Metro”. The Metro user interface primarily consists of a "Start screen" made up of “Live Tiles”, which are links to applications and features that are dynamic and update in real time.  Users will also be able to switch between apps in Metro by simply swiping across the screen.

Windows 8 also features the latest Internet Explorer Web browser, as well as integrated cc like Microsoft’s app store and Office 365.  The new operating system will also likely add built-in support for newer technologies like USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0.

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions.

1. What was Linux designed for?

2. Who developed Linux’s kernel?

3. How does Linux differ from proprietary systems?

4. Is it the same popular as Microsoft Windows? What do you think about its future?

5. What is the difference of Windows 8 from the other versions of Windows?

6. How does the new design system interface look like?

7. What newer technologies will be supported by Windows 8?

Exercise 2. Match English words and word combinations with their Russian equivalents.

1	low-cost operating system	a	анимированные значки
2	comprehensive system	b	недорогая операционная система
3	be extendible by contributors	c	интерфейс переносимой операционной системы
4	desktop predominance	d	господство на рабочих столах
5	develop from the ground up	e	расширяться пользователями
6	near-instant-on capabilities	f	интернет службы, основанные на использовании облачных вычислений
7	live tiles	g	универсальная система
8	swipe across the screen	h	провести пальцем по экрану
9	built-in support	i	почти мгновенные возможности
10	app store	j	разрабатывать с нуля
11	cloud-based online services	k	встроенная поддержка
12	portable operating system interface	l	магазин приложений

Exercise 3. Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right.

1	cloud computing	a	a short-range radio technology aimed at simplifying communications among Internet devices and between devices and the Internet
2	kernel	b	the central module of an operating system that loads first and remains in main memory.
3	bus	c	available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design free of charge
4	USB (universal serial bus)	d	a type of electronic display that senses physical touch by a person’s hands or fingers, and then performs required actions
5	open source program	e	an external bus standard that supports data transfer rates of 12 Mbps.
6	touchscreen	f	a type of computing that relies on sharing computing resources rather than having local servers or personal devices to handle applications
7	bluetooth	g	a collection of wires through which data is transmitted from one part of a computer to another a program in which the source code is

Exercise 4. Make all possible word combinations from the words given below.

1	proprietary	a	between apps
2	dynamic	b	support
3	built-in	c	systems
4	microprocessor	d	in versions
5	completely	e	features
6	switch	f	redesigned
7	comes	g	by contributors
8	extendible	h	platforms

Exercise 5. Match the word with the verb it is formed from.

1	application	a	extend
2	performance	b	define
3	extendible	c	interact
4	developer	d	refer
5	operating	e	process
6	definition	f	perform
7	reference	g	operate
8	service	h	apply
9	printer	i	manage
10	interactive	j	develop
11	management	k	serve
12	processing	l	print

Exercise 6. Mark the sentences: True/False/ No information.

1. Linux is a free or very low-cost operating system.

2. Linux is a remarkably complete operating system, including a graphical user interface, TCP/IP, the editor, and other components.

3. Linux is suitable only for computers on Intel platforms.

4. Linux is not publicly open and extendible by contributors.

5. Windows 8 is a successor of Windows 7 operating system.

6. “Metro” is the name of a Windows 8 system interface.

7. Windows 8 uses “Live Tiles”, which represent links to dynamic applications and features.

8. Near-instant-on capabilities allow to access the Internet in a matter of seconds rather than in minutes.

Exercise 7.

a) Choose the right word from the brackets. Translate the text.