Writing/speaking Think about advantages and disadvantages of using a desktop computer, a laptop and a palm computer. Compare them.

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Unit 5 operating system

Vocabulary Bank Unit 5

Task 1. Read, write the translation and learn the basic vocabulary terms:

1. abbreviation

2. accommodation

3. additional

4. application program

5. applications software

6. assembly line

7. background

8. batch

9. circumstance

10. command driven

11. command prompt

12. commitment

13. computation

14. Environment

15. eye-watering price

16. facility

17. graphic engine

18. graphical user interface

19. icon (n)

20. interaction

21. interface

22. kernel

23. key function

24. layer

25. logout

26. memory-protection

27. multiple

28. multiprogramming

29. multi-tasking mainframe

30. multi-user

31. resident program

32. revenue stream

33. robust

34. Search engine

35. shell

36. shortcoming

37. source code

38. sufficient

39. supervisor program

40. to be aware

41. to establish

42. to facilitate

43. to implement

44. to invoke

45. to object to

46. to adopt

47. to allocate

48. to boot

49. to entail

50. to hack into

51. to interrupt

52. to lock

53. to look forward to

54. typesetting tool

Text 5a. Operating systems

Some operating systems are command driven (i.e. the user runs a program by typing a command). The screen is usually blank except for a symbol which acts as a command prompt. When the command is typed at the prompt and the Enter key is pressed, the command is processed and the output is displayed on the screen. OS commands are usually short words or abbreviations (e.g., date, logout, password, Is).

Unix is a command driven operating system used on all sizes of computers, but mostly large multi-user, multi-tasking mainframe computers. It is available in many versions, such as Linux, Minix etc.

Operating Systems: Hidden Software

When a brand new computer comes off the factory assembly line, it can do nothing. The hardware needs software to make it work. Are we talking about applications software such as wordprocessing or spreadsheet software? Partly. But an applications software package does not communicate directly with the hardware. Between the applications software and the hardware is a software interface - an operating system. An operating system is a set of programs that lies between applications software and the computer hardware.

The most important program in the operating system, the program that manages the operating system, is the supervisor program, most of which remains in memory and is thus referred to as resident. The supervisor controls the entire operating system and loads into memory other operating system programs (called non-resident) from disk storage only as needed.

An operating system has three main functions: (1) manage the computer's resources, such as the central processing unit, memory, disk drives, and printers, (2) establish a user interface, and (3) execute and provide services for applications software. Keep in mind, however, that much of the work of an operating system is hidden from the user. In particular, the first listed function, managing the computer's resources, is taken care of without the user being aware of the details. Furthermore, all input and output operations, although invoked by an applications program, are actually carried out by the operating system. Some operating systems have a GUI (pronounced like 'goo-ey' – graphical user interface) that allows the user to use a mouse to click on icons on the screen or choose commands from a list of choices known as a menu. Operating systems with graphical interfaces mentioned in this unit include: MacOS, OS/2, Penpoint, Windows NT, Windows 3.x, Windows 9X and Windows 2000.