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Operating Systems

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Functional Skills check

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This lesson will cover:

What is an operating system?

The functions of an operating system.

Different types of operating systems.

Different modes of operating systems.

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What is an operating system?

An operating system (OS) is the software on a computer that controls the way different programs use its hardware.

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You cannot use any other program on your computer without an operating system.

What does an operating system do?

Operating systems provide the interface between the user and the computer hardware.

Operating systems are found in any device that contains more than one program, including games consoles and smartphones.

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controls the hard disk

controls peripherals such as the keyboard or printer

controls file operations

maintains security

organizes the use of memory between programs

organizes processing time between users and programs

deals with errors and issues error messages.

Operating system functions

An operating system:

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Managing CPU time

Whatever you are doing on your computer, computer memory must be allocated to each task being performed.

The operating system helps to divide up the time needed by the central processing unit (CPU) for each task and manage which tasks take priority.

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Types of operating system

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Modes of operating system

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Summary quiz