GRADE 8-UNIT 1

UNIT 2

OPERATING SYSTEM

1.1             1.1 What is an operating system and what does it do?

An operating system (OS) is software that manages a computer’s basic functions, such as scheduling task, executing applications and controlling peripherals.

An operating system is software that:

·        *  Manages the computer’s resource, acting as a link between the software and hardware.

·        *  Provides a plartform for the computer’s software to run word.

·        *  Manages the input and output peripherals such as the mouse, the keyboard and the computer display.

·        *  Provides file management, creating files and folders and manipulating, storing and retrieving data.

·        *  Manges computer start up

1.2         1.2.Booting the computer

When a computer is switched on it runs test on the hardware, check for new hardware then starts the operating system.

Cold boo is when the user switches on the computer after it has been completely turned off.

Warm boot is when the user the operating system to restart the computer.

1.3      

                         1.3.  Managing input and output peripherals

A peripheral is a piece of hardware-such as a mouse, a keyboard, a printer or a games controller-that can be attached to and used by a computer and these area managed by the computer’s operating system.

If you have ever bought a peripheral device you may have notice the words ‘Plug amd Play’ on the box. This is because most modern operating system provide an functionality detect and configures.

1.4              1.4  Managing the computre’s resource

1.5              1.5 Different types of operating system

1.5.1       1.5.1 Desktop and laptop computers

For desktop or laptop computers the most common operating system are:

·          *Mac OS

·      * Linux

·      * Windows

Windows and Mac OS are proprietary operating system. This Means they owned by an organization, Microsoft owns Windows and Apple owns Mac OS, and can only be modified by that organization.

Linux is open source. This means that the code for the linux operating system is freely available for others to modify. The most common ones are Ubuntu,Mint, Debian and Fedora.

1.5.2         1.5.2 Hand-held and mobile phones

Operting system have been specifically designed to run on these device and three most common  are:

·         * Windows Phones

·         * Apple iOS

·         * Andorid.