OCR GCSE Computer Science J277 - 1.5 Systems Software

Vocabulary flashcards covering Operating System functions and Utility Software according to the OCR GCSE Computer Science J277 specification.

System software

Software that manages the computer's hardware and provides a platform and services for other software.

Operating system (OS)

System software that manages hardware and software resources and provides services for users and applications.

Five required operating-system functions

User interface; memory management and multitasking; peripheral management and drivers; user management; file management.

User interface

The part of an operating system that allows the user to interact with the computer.

Examples of user-interface features

Windows, icons, menus, pointers, buttons, command lines and other controls used to interact with the system.

Memory management

The operating system manages the transfer of data in memory and allocates memory to applications.

Memory management support for multitasking

The operating system allocates memory to different applications so more than one program can run.

Multitasking

Running more than one program or task apparently at the same time, managed by the operating system.

Peripheral

A hardware device connected to or used by a computer, such as a printer, keyboard or storage device.

Peripheral management

The operating system manages communication and data transfer between peripherals and the processor.

Device driver

Software that allows the operating system to communicate with and control a particular hardware device.

User management

Operating-system functions for managing user accounts, access rights and security.

Purpose of user accounts

They allow different users to have their own settings, files and permissions.

Access rights

Permissions controlling which files, resources or actions a user is allowed to access.

File management

Operating-system functions for organising and handling files and folders.

Examples of file-management functions

Naming files, creating/allocating folders, moving files and saving files.

OCR requirement for paging or segmentation

OCR explicitly states that understanding paging or segmentation is not required for J277 1.5.

Utility software

System software that performs maintenance or housekeeping tasks, including tasks the operating system may not perform.

Purpose of utility software

To maintain, protect or optimise a computer system and perform additional housekeeping tasks.

Encryption utility

Software that encodes data so it cannot be understood without the correct key.

Purpose of encryption software

To protect sensitive data from being read if it is accessed or intercepted without authorisation.

Defragmentation utility

Software that reorganises fragmented file data on a magnetic disk so related parts are stored together.

Defragmentation benefit for magnetic hard disks

It can reduce the movement needed to access pieces of a file, improving access speed.

Defragmentation for SSDs

SSDs have no moving read/write head, so fragmentation does not cause the same access delay, meaning defragmentation is normally not needed.

Data-compression utility

Software that reduces the amount of storage space needed by data.

Purpose of data compression

To reduce storage requirements or the amount of data that must be transmitted.

Operating system vs utility software

The operating system manages the computer and its resources; utility software performs additional maintenance, protection or housekeeping tasks.