Operating systems. An operating system is software that manages the overall operation of the computer system

An operating system is software that manages the overall operation of the computer system. Its primary purpose is to support application programs. The parts of an operating system can be grouped into four broad functional cat­egories. One set of parts forms the shell or user interface; another set of parts is responsible for coordinating multiple computers in a network; a third set coor­dinates multiple tasks or basic units of work within a single computer; and, fi­nally, the kernel of the operating system is software that ties the hardware to the software and performs such tasks as keeping track of everything in memory and managing the flow of information to and from disks, the keyboard, and the display screen.

All application programs share some tasks in common. They include accept­ing characters typed at the keyboard, displaying information on the screen, managing information on a disk, and managing information in memory. The operating system takes care of the de­tails of these tasks. A most important example of how operating systems sup­port application programs is the task of managing files. A file is a named collec­tion of information. Whether your appli­cation is general or special purpose, your program needs to store information in files.

By itself, a disk is an empty platter waiting to be filled. The operating sys­tem takes care of

· Formatting the disk, which involves electronically preparing the disk to be able to store files.

· Managing the location of informa­tion on the disk.

· Checking to make sure that errors do not occur when reading to and writing from the disk.

· Performing the input and output necessary to retrieve and store informa­tion on the disk.

Operating systems also manage the other components of a computer sys­tem. They support programs, called de­vice drivers, that control the various hardware devices, such as the keyboard, display screen, and printer. The device driver translates instructions from the application into commands the hard­ware understands.

A single-tasking operating system runs one application program or task at a time. With multitasking operating sys­tems, you can have more than one appli­cation program or task active at a time. The operating system takes care of the details that are required to keep track of each task, know where the task's data are in memory, and allocate a fair share of computing services to each task.

Some operating systems allow inte­gration of dynamic data types such as sound, animation, and video. To accom­plish this, the operating system uses multimedia extensions—time-based synchronizing software for managing the coordination of video, sound, and animation. For example, a film might contain a video track and a sound track that need to be coordinated when the film is played on a computer's display screen.

2.4 Find antonyms.

Similar, secondary, in practice, descendant, advantage, permanent, minor, top, exclude, an extensive number, ancestor, few, internal, specific, major, primary, temporary, external, different, bottom, general, include, in theory, drawback.

2.5 Find synonyms.

Manage, multiple, involve, significant, interpret, control, numerous, translate, display, need, allocate, purpose, tie, show, require, contain, integration, aim, connect, important, check, hold, combination, kernel, goal, share, search, examine, cooperate,, divide, instruction, retrieve, work together, core, include, command.

2.6 Translate the following compound nouns into Ukrainian.

Multimedia extension, program management, network service, user interface, security control, application portability, software developer, hardware types, computer hardware, user familiarity, program file, video track.

2.7 Translate the following word-combinations into English so that could form compound nouns.

Файл пристрою, ім’я файла, рядок меню, екран дисплея, інтерфейс користувача, комп’ютерна система, драйвер пристрою, пристрої апаратного забезпечення, звукова доріжка, прикладне програмне забезпечення, програмні засоби бази даних, програмні засоби користувача, пристрій уведення, системний пристрій, пристрій виведення.

2.8 Give English equivalents.

Kерувати потоком інформації, піклуватися про деталі, форматувати диск, керувати розміщенням інформації, слідкувати за кожним завданням, прикладна програма, підтримувати прикладні програми, виконувати програму, зберігати інформацію на диску, керування мережею, перекладати команди, звукова доріжка, ядро операційної системи, оболонка, головна мета, спільно користуватися.

2.9 Explain the terms and word-combinations in your own words.

Format a disk, multimedia extension, single-tasking OS, multi-tasking OS, device driver, file/

2.10 Answer the questions.

1. What is a primary purpose of an operating system?

2. What functional categories can the parts of an operating system be grouped into?

3. What does an operating system manage?

4. What is the shell responsible for?

5. What part of an OS ties hardware to software?

6. What is a file?

7. What does a device driver control?

8. What software does an operating system use to allow integration of dynamic data type?

3.1 Read and translate the following words and word-combinations.

Similar functions, in practice, the highly competitive nature, evolve improvements, undergo updates, an ancestor, a descendant, make compatible, standard methods, temporary windows, without modification, high-performance computers, the academic community, allocate resources, mediate access, application portability, familiarity with the interface, the safety and privacy of information.

3.2 Learn key words and word-combinations.

allocate resources – розподіляти ресурси

application writer – редактор програми

available (adj) – наявний; придатний

back up (v) – робити резервну копію

compatible (adj) – сумісний

delete (v) – вилучати; усувати; витирати

dialog box – вікно діалогу

file system – файлова система

library (n) – бібліотека

manage hardware – керувати апаратним забезпеченням

mediate access – опосередковувати доступ

network service – обслуговування мережі

read access – доступ для читання

run (v) – виконувати

update (n) – нова версія; оновлення, (v) – модифікувати; оновлювати

window interface – поліекранний інтерфейс

write access – доступ для запису

3.3 Read and translate the text.

Дата добавления: 2015-01-03