Systems Software

A. Why learn about systems software?

   1. Competition between them
   2. DOS limitations
   3. Several system programs on one machine
   4. User sophistication

B. OS Concepts

   1. Kernel
   2. User support
      a. single user (single task)
      b. single user (multiple task or multitask)
      c. multiple user
      d. multiple processor (multiprocessor)
   3. Functions of OS
      a. User interface
         i. Command line
         ii. Graphical User Interace (GUI)
      b. Memory management
      c. Device drivers (print queue, etc.)
      d. Device configuration (new hardware/software)
      e. Security

C. Popular Operating Systems

   1. Unix (Linux, SunOS, etc.), the "portable operating system"
      - used by academics
      + becoming commercially popular with Linux
      - little to no GUI (command-line interaces)
   2. DOS
      + standard for old PCs
      - almost dead
      - command-line
   3. Mac OS
      + the first commercially successful GUI system
      + multitasking
      + consistent interface
      - balky when working with DOS/Windows
   4. Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000
      + the most popular GUI system
      + multitasking
      + ease of networking (?)
      - remains buggy/slow
      - no program consistency requirement
   5. Windows CE
      + cut-down version of Windows (for personal digital devices)