Software, Data and introduction to Operating System

A computer cannot perform any task with the hardware only. A set of instructions is required to direct the computer on what needs to be done. The set of instruction is called a program and a set of interlinked programs is software.

Software can be broadly classified as system software and application software. Software that provides basic functions of the the computer is called system software. Software, which is employed by users,scuh as teachers and students, to accomplish specific tasks, is called application software. Paint is an of application software. You use an application or progam to create, modiy, or delete data stored on youtr computer.

OS- an operating system is the software that manages and controls the working of computer. The moment you turn on the computer, it checks that all of  the computer’s internal devices, such as RAM, ROM and peripheral devices, such as printer and montor, are functioning properly. After these checks are successful, the operating system loads. Some examples of operating system are UNIX, which is used in corporate and university setting, Mac and Windows. Operating system undergo improvement and have different versions. There  are different versions of the Windows Operating System ----Windown 95, Windown 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windown xp.

You interact or communicate with a computer through the user interace provided by the operating system. The user interface can be text-based or graphical. Text-based operating system, such as the old MS DOS ,are less intuitive, because they depend on text commands made up ofvarious words and symbols, which the user has to memorise. Windiws xp, on the other hand, is a good of a graphical operating system. It provides graphical user interface that user visual components rather then text to help you interact with an application. It provides menus and toolbar contain commands to perform specific tasks. These commsnds are presented in everyday language or as pictures. All you need to do is click a command from the menu toolbar, and Windows will do the rest. This user-friendly interface allows even users with limited skills access to the many benefits of computers.

An operating system performs the following functions :

1.The operating system receives inputs in the form of commands and clicks, and translates it into a form that the computer can understand and process. Similarly, the processed results are conerted into a form that the user can understand. Thus, theoperating system acts as an intermediary  between the user and the computer hardware.

2. handling data transfer to and from devices, such as hard disks and printer.

3. Managing the storage space.

4. ensuring that the system resources are utilized by authorized users only.

   

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Performace Factors of PCs and Monitors

The performance of a computer depends mainly on the storage capacity of its RAM and the speed at which instructions and adta are processed.

Speed of the Microprocessor-:A microprocessor is the computer of the system unit that performs the actual processing of data. Microprocessors can manipulate 8, 16, 32 bits of data at a time. An 8-bit processor can manipulate only a single byte of data at a time. A 16-bit processor can handle 2 bytes while a 32-bit chip can process 4 bytes at atime.

In general, a 16-bit PC will be faster than an 8-bit system and a 32-bit PC will be faster than the 8 and 16-bit models. The treansfer of data between the mixcroprocessor, memory and peripgerals is done through the bus. Most current processor designs use a 32-bit bus, meaning that 32 bits of data can ce transferr4ed at a time.PCs witk a 64-bit bus also exist but are not as  common yet.

Storage Capacity of RAM-:The amount of RAM required depends on the application you run on your computer. Reasonable performance today calls for at least 128 MB. If you want to run several applications at the same time or work with large files and documents, you need to increase the amount of RAM. Increasing the capacity to 256 MB or even 512 MB can measuabley increase performance.

Clock Rate-: The fundamental rate at which a computer performs its operations called the clock rate. The faster the rate, the quicker the microprocessor processes instrucations and data. However, a clock rate faster than the maximum speed of the processor may overheat the microprocessor and lead to critical processing errors.

Performance Factors of Monitors-: Screen resolution is a key characteristic of computer monitors and refers to the number of pixels a screen can display within a given area.for higher legibility of documents on screen, you can adjust the screen resolution of your monitor. A higher number of pixels means better clearity in the display.

Another important characteristic is the vertical frequency, which indicates the number of images that can be put together per second. A higher frequency means less stress for the human eye. If you want your students to look at computer screen for45 minutes or more, use a frequency of at least 72 Hz. With lower frequencies, students might get headaches.

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