7/28/2009

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
SystemSoftware
Systemsoftware,oftencalled firmware,issoftwarethatmanages andcontrolsthephysical hardware ofacomputersothat applicationsoftwarecanwork.Applicationsoftware arethe programsthathelpanenduser doaparticular task.

StartingtheComputer
Whenacomputeristurned on,itimmediatelystartsloading system softwaretoeventuallyprovidetheessentialoperating system,or platform.Everytimeacomputerispoweredup,itneedstoknow whatresourcesithastoworkwith,likeprogrammingfiles, expansioncards,andamountofrandomaccessmemory.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
StartingtheComputer
Loadingtheplatformintothecomputers memoryiscalled booting.Poweringupacomputeronforthefirsttimeiscalleda coldboot,andacomputerthatisrestartedwhileitwasalready running iscalledawarmboot. Whenelectricitycoursesthrough thecircuitsofapersonal computerthathasjustbeen poweredup,thefirstthingthat happens isthatsystemsearchesforthebasicinput/output system (BIOS).BIOSisfirmwareprogramming embedded intoacomputer chip,meaning thecomputerrunsthesameprogrameverytimeits turnedon.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
StartingtheComputer
Onatypicalbusiness computer, oncetheBIOSlocatesaharddrive, itisabletoexecuteinstructions andprogramming thatloadsthe operatingsystem.Theoperating systeminturntakescontroland configures thecomputers hardwaretosettingsstoredinadatabase calledtheregistry.Oncethehardware settingsaredetermined, the operating i systeml loads d systemutilities ili i ,like lik virus i protection i programs. Inbusiness, itisextremelyimportantthattheoperating system authenticates ausertodetermineiftheyarethecomputers appropriateuser.Thebusiness computerauthenticates usersby requiring themtologin andloadtheusersprofile.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

7/28/2009

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
AdministeringApplicationSoftware
Onceauserhasbeenauthenticated andtheiruserprofileloaded, theyarereadytouseapplication software,likePhotoshopora spreadsheet.Systemsoftwaremanagesapplicationsoftware, principally, byloading itintorandomaccessmemory(RAM)aftera usermakesarequesttousetheapplication software,typicallyby d bl clicking double li ki the h appropriate i i icononthe h d desktop. k Theabilityofthesystemsoftwaretosupportmultiple softwaresata timeiscalledmultitasking.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
MemoryManagement
Whetheracomputerismultitasking orjustrunning singular application software,systemsoftwareneedstocarefully allocate andmanagethecomputers available memory. Sinceallapplication pp softwareworksinRAM, ,thesystem y software needstoswitch,orswap information inandoutofRAMasneeded basedontheRAMscapacity.Aspecialkindofmemoryisused calledvirtualmemory. Virtualmemoryisactuallythetechnique ofbreaking files requestedfromasecondary memorylikeaharddriveintosmaller, moremanageable filesthatcanfitintoRAM.Thesesmallerfiles thatrepresent piecesoflargerfilesarecalled pages,orswapfiles.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
DeviceDrivers
Sinceacomputerisabinarysystemthatonlyunderstands machine code,itneedsspecialprogramscalleddrivers tomakeinput and outputdevicesoperateproperly.Manydevicedriversarealready included withtheoperating systemastheyhavebeenprovidedby manufacturers ahead oftime,andsomedevicedriversneed tobe installedbytheenduser.Allinput andoutputdevicesrequirea driver.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

7/28/2009

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
InterfacingandUtilities
Allsystemsoftwareneedstoinput andoutput data andinformation totheenduserinoneformoranother, whetherthrougha keyboard,mouse,printer, monitor,orevenaspeaker. Auserinterface iswhattheuserseesonthemonitorandp provides themeansinwhichapersoncaninteractwiththecomputersystem, whethertheyareinputting tomanipulate thesystem,orreceiving outputfromtheirmanipulation. Themostcommonaspectofallmajoroperating systemuser interfacesisthattheypresentdataandinformation inagraphical manner,andarethereforereferredtoasgraphicaluserinterfaces, ormorecommonlybytheacronymGUI (pronounced gooor gooey).
ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
InterfacingandUtilities
Inagraphical userinterface, thebackground displayed onthe monitorisconsidered thedesktopenvironment, ordesktop for short.Manytimesthedesktopwillbemadeofaphotographic imageorcorporatelogochosenbythecomputers userorsystem administrator,oroftentimessimplyanimageprovidedbythe operating i systemmanufacturers f default d f l settings. i Residing R idi onthe h desktopareothergraphical elements,like: Windows Menus Ribbons Toolbars Folders.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
FileManagementSystems
Filemanagersareeasilyunderstood when oneconsiders aphysical filingcabinetfirst.Aphysical filingcabinet, whetherverticalor horizontal,issimplyalargeboxseparated bydrawers.Eachdrawer ismarkedwithsectionsofthealphabet, likeAthroughF,andso forth.Inside thedrawers arefolderslabeled withcustomers names.Inside I id each hf folder ld arepapers with i hthe h customers information. Sinceafilemanagement systembasedinanoperatingsystemis basedinaGUI environment, itisabletodoexponentially morethan aphysical filingcabinet, likesearching.Filemanagement systems allowtheusertosearchforcomputerfilesbased onalmostany criteria.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

7/28/2009

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
FileManagementSystems
Filemanagement systemsalsoprovidevitalinformation about foldersandfilesaswell,andoffertoolstonavigate andorganize thecomputers filingcabinet.Somecommonfilemanagement featuresarelistedbelow: Filename Whatisthenameofthefile? ModificationDate Whenwasthefilelastaccessedorsaved? FileType Whatkindoffileisit? FileSize Howbigorsmallisthefile?

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
SystemSoftwareUtilities
Defrag isautilitythatthatmovespositiveandnegative chargesto theinnermosttracksofadiskwhich inturnreducetheamountof timeittakestheread/writearmtosaveorerasedataand information.Fragmented filesbecomedefragmented andmore efficientlystoredresulting inbetterandfasterdiskperformance.

BackupUtilities
Systemsoftwareoffersabackup utilitytoensure thatdataand informationissafe.Thebackuputility isaprogramthatcopiesdata fromacomputers harddrivetoabackupdevice.Thebackup devicecanbemanyvariedtypesofmedia,likeanotherharddrive, anopticaldisk,oramagnetictape tonameafew.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
AntivirusUtilities
Antivirusutilities aresystemsoftwarethatidentifies knownviruses andattemptstoblockthemfromentering andinfecting a computersystem.Theantivirusutilitykeepsalist,specifically a databaseofknownvirusesandcomparesthedatabase toany incomingcomputerfiletoseeifitisavirus. IndustryleadersinantivirussystemsoftwarelikeNortonAntiVirus andMcAfeeVirusScan update auserscomputerdatabase through subscriptionservices.Computeruserpurchases antivirussystem softwareutilitiesalongwithasubscription whichperformsan initialscanoftheentiresystemforviruseswhenitisfirstinstalled. Oncethesystemisknowntobevirusfree,thesubscribed user receivesupdates viatheInternetwhenthevirussoftware manufacturers when newvirusesarediscovered.
ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology

7/28/2009

Black&WhiteBusiness Computing2010 Chapter6 SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks ComputerInformationSystems105

SystemSoftware:WhytheBoxWorks
SystemUpdate
Tocompensateforanyoperating systeminadequacies, companies likeMicrosoftofferasystemsoftwareutilitycalledsystemupdate. Forexample,newormodified programming calledpatches aresent fromMicrosoftviatheInternettoauserscomputerandadded to itsoperating systemtoupdate anydeficient operating systemfiles, ortoadd ddtof featuresthat h did didnt exist i when h the h operating i system wasoriginallyinstalled.

ArizonaStateUniversity W.P.CareySchoolofBusiness ComputerApplications&InformationTechnology