User Interfaces And Operating Systems

The Purpose of Operating System software is to :

   1. Control Hardware ( devices ) e.g. Mouse & printer drivers
   2. Provide a "graphical user interface" between the user and the hardware. - e.g. Command, Menu, Graphical.
   3. Control the reading and writing of data to disc. ( Read ! Write ) - e.g. DOS ( Disc Operating System )
   4. Provide MEMORY MANAGEMENT - e.g. Multiprogramming
   5. Detect and then display error messages when the hardware or software fails.



Types of User Interface:
# Command Line Interface
# Menu-Driven Interface
# Point and Click / Windows Interface


Operating Systems include:
# Microsoft DOS
# Microsoft Windows
# 0S2
# Novel
# Windows NT - Netwokring Operating System


Suppliers of Operating System software are increasingly bundling a number of "housekeeping" utility programs.

These programs include:

# Data Compression
# File Management ( copying, deleting etc. )
# Virus scanners
# De-fragmentation utilities
# Scandisk utilities - to check hard drives for errors 

About the Author

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