Operating Systems

Operating system

Also known as "OS" this is the software that communicates with computer hardware on the most basic level, Without an operating system, no software programs can run.

Shell

A program layer that stands between the user and the operating system.

graphical user interface (GUI)

An operating system characteristic that utilizes graphics and the point-and-click technology of the mouse and cursor, making the OS much more user friendly

kernal mode

mode that allows programming of the memory manager. Most CPUs have a trap architecture that enters kernel mode on any trap or system call

user mode

In Windows 2000/XP/Vista, a mode that provides an interface between an application and the OS, and only has access to hardware resources through the code running in kernel mode.

input/output

I/O (input/output), pronounced "eye-oh," describes any operation, program, or device that transfers data to or from a computer. Typical I/O devices are printers, hard disks, keyboards, and mouses. In fact, some devices are basically input-only devices (keyboards and mouses); others are primarily output-only devices (printers); and others provide both input and output of data (hard disks, diskettes, writable CD-ROMs).

multiplexing

Compressing multiple signals into one SATCOM signal

mainframes

these computers carry out very large processing jobs to meet the needs of large companies or agencies of the government

job

A piece of work usually done on order at an agreed-upon rate. Also a paid position of regular employment.

batch system

A system which carries out batch processing, for example cheque clearing, gas and electricity billing.

off line

Not connected to a remote computer system or a network.

integrated circuits

miniature electronic components printed on a thin slice of silicon

OS/360

operating systems for large computers

multiprogramming

Multiple programs running at the same time; multiple users or a single user with several programs can be processing info simultaneously

spooling

Operating system process that sends documents to be printed to a buffer instead of sending them immediately to the printer. The buffer then holds the information waiting to print while the printer prints from the buffer at its own rate of speed.

timesharing

Technique by which mainframe computers communicate with several users simultaneously

CTSS

A system that allowed users of IBM mainframe computers remote access as well as the ability to leave messages for other users.

multics

first OS to integrate security into its core function

cloud computing

use of web services to perform functions that were traditionally performed with software on an individual computer; i.e. Flickr, Google Docs, etc.

unix

An operating system developed in the 1970s for midrange servers and mainframes; many variations of this operating system are in use today.

system V

Stores a setting for the current configuration of the MySQL Server

bsd

Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD, sometimes called Berkeley Unix) is a Unix operating system derivative developed and distributed by the Computer Systems Research Group (CSRG) of the University of California, Berkeley, from 1977 to 1995. Today the term "BSD" is often used non-specifically to refer to any of the BSD descendants which together form a branch of the family of Unix-like operating systems. Operating systems derived from the original BSD code remain actively developed and widely used.

posix

portable operating system interface for Unix

minix

Mini-UNIX created by Andrew Tannenbaum. Instructions on how to code the kernel for this version of the UNIX operating system were publicly available. Using this as a starting point, Linus Torvalds improved this version of UNIX for the Intel platform and created the first version of Linux.

linux

an open-source version of the UNIX operating system

large scale integration

in the fourth generation of computers engineers were able to fit more circuits on a chip. this process is called ______

microcomputers

Based on small microprocessing chips found in individual PCs. Microcomputers are used for desktop applications such as work processing and spreadsheets and, with the increase in computing power available on the PC, can serve as the hardware for a database management system.

cp/m

Abbreviation of Control Program for Microcomputers. Created by Digital Research Corporation, CP/M was one of the first 8-bit operating systems for personal computers. However, Digital Research Corporation made a critical strategic error by not agreeing to produce an operating system for the first IBM PC. According to the folklore, the president of Digital Research was flying his airplane when IBM came to call. IBM marched out and never looked back.

DOS

The term dose refers to ". . . the amount of a substance administered at one time." Several ways to describe dose

ms-dos

A single-user, single-task operating system created by Microsoft.

user friendly

Refers to how easy the computer system is to operate

mac os x

multitasking operating system that is the latest version of the Macintosh operating system

windows nt

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a Web-based tool for managing and distributing software updates that resolve known security vulnerabilities or otherwise improve performance of all of the following operating systems except __________.

windows millennium edition

is an upgrade to the Windows 98 os that has features specifically for the home user.

service packs

A _________ is a cumulative set of all updates for a particular operating system version, usually going back to its original release and are extensively tested.

DRM

Software which restricts the actions a user can perform with a file, such as copying or printing.

x86

A term applied to a CPU, motherboard, or other components that conform to the Intel 32-bit x86 specification. Also referred to as 32-bit. (5)

freebsd

A free, open-source, Unix-like operating system based on Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) Unix. It is the most popular among the BSD-based operating systems, with an installed base of more than 75%.

x window system

The GUI environment for UNIX and Linux systems.

gnome

A graphical user interface and set of computer desktop applications for users of the Linux computer operating system. It's intended to make a Linux operating system easy to use for non-programmers and generally corresponds to the Windows desktop interface and its most common set of applications.

network operating system

An operating system that runs on a network server.

distributed operating systems

An OS that allows software and data files to be distributed around a system. Eg the word processing software stored on one computer's hard drive, while the files of work are stored somewhere else, and the spreadsheet software is stored on a third disk drive. This can speed access to files because there is no single bottle neck which all the information must pass through.

pda

"Personal Digital Assistant" A handheld computer or electronic personal organizer device

symbian

Which is an example of a smartphone operating system?

rim's

The Allopatric model and Sympatric model both develop___________ (pre-zygotic or post-zygotic), that reduce formation of _______________________.

iphone

Apple Cell phone now on AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint.

program counter

A register that holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched in the fetch execute cycle.

stack pointer

a CPU register that points to the start of the current stack frame and is used as an index register to access data within the stack frame

psw

rapid unloading of the limb, weight transferred to contralateral lim

pipeline

In UNIX, two or more commands connected by a pipe are called a(n) ___

superscalar

A technique that enables a processor to execute more than one instruction in a single clock cycle is called _____.

system call

An instruction that interrupts the program being executed and requests a service from the operating system.

multithreading

Running several program processes or parts (threads) at the same time.

hyperthreading

A technology that permits quicker processing of information by enabling a new set of instructions to start executing before the previous set has finished.

cores

CPUs in a multicore processor

gpu

Video cards that include a processor that takes over video rendering from the CPU, thereby increasing video performance. Graphics processing unit.

cache lines

Main memories and caches are divided up into fixed-size blocks. When talking about these blocks inside the cache, they are commonly reffered to as X.

cache hit

when the program checks the cache line and it's there

l1 cache

Level 1, very high speed memory (faster than RAM) built into the CPU.

l2 cache

A type of memory cache that is slightly slower than L1 cache, but has a much larger capacity, ranging from 64 KB to 16 MB.

random access memory

RAM, electronic circuits in a computer that can store code and data of running programs. random access is the ability to access any value directly without having to read the values preceding it.

read only memory

Primary storage whose contents are written at manufacture and cannot be altered later.

electrically erasable prom

A type of ROM chip in which data can be erased or changed by applying electrical charges to the chip. Used to store hardware configuration data for expansion cards.

flash memory

A type of nonvolatile computer memory that can be electrically erased and rewritten repeatedly.

SSD

Solid state drive, a storage device that typically uses flash memory to store data, instructions, and info

virtual memory

Memory management programming which make the limited RAM of the physical machine appear to be more by using a portion of the hard drive

track

Adjusting the spacing between words, phrases, and extended blocks of text

cylinder

A solid composed of two congruent circles in parallel planes, their interiors, and all the line segments parallel to the axis with endpoints on the two circles.