Upgrade to remove ads
Only $2.99/month

VISUALIZING TECHNOLOGY CHAPTER 5

Terms in this set (32)

API (Application programming interface)
Allows the application to request services from the operating system. , The interface that allows one computer system or application to communicate and exchange data with another.
Operating System
Manages interactions between the user, the software, and the hardware of a computer. , System software that acts as a "go-between", allowing computer hardware and other software to communicate with each other
Device driver
acts as a translator, enhances the capabilities of the operating system by enabling it to communicate with hardware. , A software program that provides the instructions your computer needs to communicate with a device, such as a scanner.
GUI (Graphical user interface)
a computer interface that enables a user to control the computer and launch commands by pointing and clicking at graphical objects such as windows, icons, and menu items.
multitasking
Doing more than one thing at a time. A true multitasking system requires two or more CPUs, each processing a different thread at the same time. Compare to cooperative multitasking and preemptive multitasking.
Plug and Play
Technology that allows a hardware component to be attached to a computer so that it is automatically configured by the operating system, without user intervention.
system software
software responsible for the general operation of a computer system, including the operation of hardware, running application software, and file management
User interface
Part of the computer's operating system that users interact with.
Beta Version
early version of a software program that is often provided to users to test for bugs before the program is marketed to the general public.
Linux
An open source operating system based on UNIX. Because of the stable nature of this operating system, it is often used on Web servers.
Microsoft Windows
The most popular and powerful PC operating system; uses a graphical user interface.
Open source
A program in which the source code is available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design free of charge
OS X
Operating system also called "Cheetah". Entirely new operating system based on UNIX. Many versions have been made.
UNIX
An operating system developed in the 1970s for midrange servers and mainframes; many variations of this operating system are in use today.
Control panel
A Windows folder that contains numerous applets you can use to adjust the configuration of many different aspects of the OS. (8)
PC settings
Enables you to change many common settings on your system. Customize accounts and settings, including privacy and accessibility.
System preferences
The majority of the technical and maintenance settings are located in System Preferences on a Macintosh computer.
user account
Determines which files a person can access on a computer and which devices can be shared.
Android
A Linux-based operating system designed for mobile phones and developed by a group of companies that includes Google.
embedded operating system
Similar in principle to operating systems such as Windows or Linux, embedded operating systems are smaller and generally less capable than desktop operating systems
iOS
Uses direct manipulation and multi-gesture touch such as swipe, tap, and pinch to control it.
Mobile operating systems
Operating system used on smartphones and tablets
Client
A computer designed to request information from a server
client-server network
A network that uses centrally administered computers, known as servers, to enable resource sharing for and to facilitate communication between the other computers on the network.
peer-to-peer network
The network you set up at home that doesn't require an NOS.
NOS (network operating system)
Systems software that controls the computer systems and devices on a network and allows them to communicate with each other.
Cluster
Stored files saved to your disk, consist of one or more sectors.
defragmenter
A utility that rearranges the fragmented files on your disk to improve efficiency. Never run on a solid -state disk.
File fragmentation
The breaking apart of files into separate segments as they are stored by an operating system on the hard drive.
File system
A method used by operating systems to store, retrieve, and organize files.
format
A disk that has a set of concentric circles called tracks are created.
utility software
Programs that are used to maintain and repair the computer.
THIS SET IS OFTEN IN FOLDERS WITH...