Operating Systems

AOITPrinciples of Information Technology

Operating Systems Serve Five Main Functions

Operating systems serve five main functions:

• Provide a user interface• Organize files• Manage applications• Manage hardware• Repair/restore computer

functionality

What operating systems are running at your school?

There Are Several Kinds of Operating Systems

There are many operating systems for users to choose from.

What operating systems have you used before?

Windows, made by Microsoft, is the market leader. Another popular choice is Linux, an open source operating system.

Linux

An OS Can Be Proprietary or Open Source

Microsoft’s Windows operating system is proprietary—this means users pay a fee to use the software and receive customer and technical support in return.

Open source software, like the Linux-based Ubuntu, is free, but comes without formal customer or technical support.

vs.

Both systems have benefits. Which would you choose?

Operating Systems Have a User Interface

A typical Windows desktop

Operating Systems Have a User Interface

A machine running the Linux-based Red Hat operating system

Operating Systems Make It Easy to Organize Files

Windows uses a folder system to organize files

Operating Systems Make It Easy to Organize Files

This Linux user manages files with folders, icons, and buttons; the organization resembles a web browser

OS Utilities Help Users Handle Basic Tasks

This Windows utility helps a user back up files

OS Utilities Help Users Handle Basic Tasks

This Linux Ubuntu setup is very basic but offers the user full functionality

Operating Systems Help Manage Hardware

Windows helps users manage hardware such as a keyboard

Operating Systems Help Manage Hardware

This Linux user can easily keep track of each storage device installed on the machine

An Operating System Helps Manage Applications

Windows XP application manager

An Operating System Helps Manage Applications

Linux Red Hat’s application manager

Photo Credits

The image of the Windows logo on Slide 3 and the image of the Linux logo on Slide 3, which was designed by Larry Ewing, lewing@isc.tamu.edu using GIMP, can can be accessed on wikipedia.org and are reproduced here under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify these images under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is available at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:GNU_Free_Documentation_License.

The image on Slide 9 is available at http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/data/backup.mspx

The image on Side 10 is available at http://www.gnuman.com/screenshots.html?page=inline&id=721 and is reproduced here under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2.0.

The images on slides 5, 7, 11, and 13 were compiled by Marcin Wichary and are used here with his permission. They can be accessed at http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/winxppro

The images on slides 6, 8, 12, and 14 were compiled by Marcin Wichary and are used here with his permission. They can be accessed at http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/gnome220redhat9