CMSC412 - Operating-System Structures - Chapter (2)

User Interface (UI)

A method by which a user interacts with a computer.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A computer interface comprising a window system with a pointing device to direct I/O, choose from menus, and make selections and, usually, a keyboard to enter text.

Touch-screen Interface

A user interface in which touching a screen allows the user to interact with the computer.

Command-Line Interface (CLI)

A method of giving commands to a computer based on a text input device (such as a keyboard).

Shared Memory

In interprocess communication, a section of memory shared by multiple processes and used for message passing.

Message Passing

In interprocess communication, a method of sharing data in which messages are sent and received by processes. Packets of information in predefined formats are moved between processes or between computers.

Command Interpreter

The operating system component that interprets user commands and causes actions based on them.

Shell

One of the command interpreters on a system with multiple command interpreters to choose from.

Desktop

In a GUI, the standard workspace represented by the GUI on the screen, in which a user executes tasks.

Icons

Images representing objects (such as files or applications) that users can choose via the GUI.