chapter 4 it vocab

Process/memory management

Computers work by executing lists of instructions. Sometimes, computers need to run multiple lists of instructions, or processes, at the same time. The OS makes sure that each process is sent to the CPU in an orderly way.Sometimes, a process will malfunction. For example, there may be a memory leak caused by a poorly-written program not releasing space in RAM when it's done with it. If this happens, the operating system can kill the process so it doesn't clog up computer resources.If your computer is unable to process all the programs you would like to run at the same time, you can either: Add more memory by physically installing memory banks to your motherboard. Open Task Manager (or a memory monitoring program on non-Windows operating systems) and stop any programs from running that you don't need or want. This will allow the memory to be used for the programs you do want to run.

C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86)

Contain the files for the applications installed on the system.

C:\Windows

Contains the Windows operating system files.

C:\Users

Contains the information associated with a Windows user account. This folder is referred to as the user's profile folder. Within the profile are several subfolders that are used to organize information

Device Manager

Device Manager is a Windows utility that lets you view and control peripheral devices and other hardware components. You can use Device Manager to troubleshoot hardware issues, update drivers, and view the technical properties of hardware devices.

Firmware

Firmware is read-only software preinstalled on a device that tells the device how to work. In many ways, it's like a low-level operating system. Firmware can be found in televisions, remote controls, game consoles, printers, cameras, music players, and even automobiles. Sometimes, manufacturers release firmware updates that fix bugs and add new features.

Device Drivers

A device driver is software that helps an operating system communicate with hardware devices, such as printers, video cards, scanners, and cameras. Instead of an operating system, such as Windows, having instructions for every hardware device that can be attached, users install the driver for the specific hardware. The driver translates signals from the operating system into instructions the hardware can understand.In many cases, some device drivers can be installed by Windows using plug-and-play technology. This means that when you plug in a device, such as a USB disk, Windows automatically locates and installs the correct device driver for you.In other cases, the driver must be manually installed. In Windows, this is most often accomplished using the Device Manager. In Windows 10 (version 1803 and newer), Device Manager can be accessed by right-clicking Start and selecting Device Manager from the list shown.When you have to uninstall a driver, Device Manager is useful to verify that a driver was fully removed. In Windows 10 (version 1803 and newer), you can also manage device drivers by right-clicking Start and going to Settings > Devices.With Linux-based systems, you may find some GUI interfaces for installing device drivers, but many times you must download, compile, and install drivers manually.

Command line interface

Another way users interact with the operating system is using the command line interface. The command line is used primarily by IT and other tech professionals. The command line accepts input from the keyboard, instead of a mouse or touchscreen.The command line has a steeper learning curve, and it's possible to accidentally break the system if you don't know what you're doing. However, it also gives the user greater control over the file and operating systems. It is faster than using a GUI.

Office Application Suites

Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, is the most widely-used office productivity software. Other popular suites include OpenOffice and LibreOffice, which are free open source solutions, and Google's G-Suite, which is a paid service. One of the reasons people like to use an integrated office application suite is that they have a common user interface and make it easy to share data between applications.

Graphical user interfaces

One of the main functions of an operating system is to provide an interface between the computer and the user. Most modern operating systems use a graphical user interface (GUI), where pictures, icons, and other images are used to represent files, folders, and system controls.The GUI makes it easy for humans to understand and use. People interact with these graphics using a mouse, touchscreen, or keyboard. Typically, GUIs are better for consumers. They're easier to learn and have safeguards against accidentally ruining the system by deleting or modifying important files.

Application management

Operating systems manage applications installed on a system. The OS has tools to view, configure, and delete applications.

Presentations

Slideshow presentations are most commonly used as a visual supplement for a verbal presentation. They help highlight the speaker's most important points and illustrate difficult concepts. They're also a great way to share visual media, such as pictures and videos, with a large audience.

Task Manager

Task Manager is a process management administration utility that comes with Microsoft Windows. It lets users perform tasks such as shut down applications that are not responding; view processes and applications that are using system resources; view network usage; and disconnect users from the system.One of the most common things you'll do with Task Manager is to end an unresponsive app. To perform this task, take the following steps: Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager Select the Processes tab. Select the unresponsive app or process from the list. Select End task

Service management

The OS also runs services, which are processes that run automatically in the background. Services do things like indexing files for better searches, verifying that software is up to date, and backing up files.

Windows Settings

The Windows Settings App customizes how the computer looks and functions. The Settings App lets you make most configuration changes that used to be done in the Control Panel (if you're familiar with older versions of Windows).To launch the Settings App, click the Start button and select Settings. Within the app are several options you can use to configure system settings such as security, power plans, network connections, installed applications, accessibility settings, and display settings.

Utility Software

Utility software analyzes, configures, and optimizes the computer. Unlike application software, which benefits the end user directly, utility software is used to support and maintain the computer system. Some common types of utility software include: Backup software creates backup copies of data and restores them if the original data is lost or corrupted Compression software compresses and decompresses files, making storage more efficient Disk cleaners delete temporary or unnecessary information from disk drives Antivirus software prevents viruses and other malware from harming the computer system

Visual Diagramming

Visual diagramming tools help create flowcharts and other graphical representations of ideas. Most word processing and presentation software includes built-in visual diagramming tools. For more shapes and diagram templates, you can use a dedicated visual diagramming tool such as Microsoft Visio or Google Drawings.

Web Browsers

When web browsers are used for online research and for building relationships with business customers, they are also considered productivity software. The most popular browsers include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari. Most web browsers are free to download and install on a computer.

Word Processing

Word processors store, manipulate, and format text. Most of the things we read, like books, newspapers, and web articles, were first written in a word processor.

Spreadsheets

A spreadsheet is an application where data is organized into rows and columns. They can be used to store and organize information, as well as perform complex calculations. Spreadsheets can also create charts and graphs, which are useful for making sense of data.

Access control/protection

An important operating system role is security. Operating systems require users to log in with credentials before accessing sensitive information on the computer.One of these most important principles in network security is the principle of least privilege. This means that a user is given access and permissions at the level that is required to do a job or tasks and nothing more. If the account is compromised, the hacker is limited to whatever that user's permissions and access are.Operating systems help you follow this privilege by providing two types of user accounts: administrative and standard. The account that is created when initially installing an OS is an administrative account by default and cannot be changed. This is to give the person installing the OS all the rights and privileges to set up the computer.Best practices specify that an administrator create a standard user account to use for day-to-day tasks. The administrator account should be used only for the tasks that require that level of privilege. This limits risk if the system is hacked.All other users should be given only standard user accounts. If someone does need an administrator account, be sure to provide a standard user account for use for anything non-administrative.In addition to limiting privileges, operating systems also use antivirus and anti-malware software to prevent malicious files from accessing the computer.The Windows Enterprise editions allow administrators to configure privilege levels and rights through groups in the Local Users and Groups tab in the Computer Management console. This saves administrators time by: Grouping users that need the same privileges and rights to do their jobs. Controlling access by assigning the rights and privileges to the group and then adding the appropriate users to each group.

Device management

Another of the operating system's jobs is to know the hardware that is connected to the system, interpret instructions from the hardware, and send instructions to it.You may install a piece of hardware (such as a printer) that your operating system doesn't know how to talk to. To make the printer work, you need to install a driver. Drivers are like interpreters that help the hardware and the OS to speak the same language.

File Explorer

File Explorer (formerly known as Windows Explorer) is a file management application that comes with Windows. File Explorer's main purpose is to let you view, open, copy, move, and otherwise manage your files and folders.

Disk Management

It's important for storage hardware to be well organized. If information is scattered around a disk in a haphazard way, it takes a long time for the computer to get the information it needs and the system slows down.Operating systems have disk management software that helps keep storage devices well organized and maintained.

Interface between applications and hardware

Operating systems provide an interface between the computer's hardware and application software. Hardware communicates in raw physical signals, like pulses of electricity or light. Software interprets ones and zeroes as digital information.The OS takes data from the hardware and passes it to the software in a way the software can understand. The operating system takes instructions from the software and passes it to the hardware be executed.Applications are computing software that are designed to perform a specific function such as word processing, web browsing, or media playing.When choosing application software, check the computer's CPU processing capability. Older computers use a 32-bit processing capacity. Newer computers typically have a 64-bit processing capacity. Some newer computers are designed to operate either 32-bit or 64-bit modes.

File Management

The file management interface for Microsoft Windows is called File Explorer. Within this interface, you can create, delete, open, or rename files and folders. The files can be stored on a local disk or on other devices connected through a network server.When you select This PC within File Explorer, you have access to files and folders stored on the local hard drive; any removable devices or drives; and any connected network drives.To configure setting, right-click This PC and select either Properties or Manage. Properties gives you access to configuration within the System properties. Manage accesses the Computer management console.When you select the Network option within File Explorer, you have access to any connected network servers. The Network container will show devices that are available to you within the network. These can be other computers, media devices, printers, or multifunction devices.

Copy a file between folders

To copy a file from one folder to another: Right-click the file (or folder) to be copied and click Copy. Navigate to the destination folder. Right-click within the folder and click Paste. You can use this method to copy files from a folder on one storage device to a folder on another. For example, you can copy a file from your hard drive to an external flash storage device.

Create a new file

To create a new file: Right-click within the folder where you want the new file to be created and click New > file_type . Type the new file's name and press Enter. The file types that can be created using this method depend on the applications that have been installed on the system. For example, if Microsoft Office has been installed, then you can create the following file types: Contact Journal document Microsoft Word document Microsoft Access database Microsoft PowerPoint presentation Microsoft Publisher document Microsoft Excel worksheet Rich Text file Compressed (zipped) folder

Create a new folder

To create a new folder: Right-click within the folder where you want the new folder to be created and click New > Folder. Type the new folder's name and press Enter. To further organize information, you can create subfolders within folders.

Move a file between folders

To move a file (or folder) from one folder to another by using the Cut command: Right-click the file (or folder) to be moved and click Cut. Navigate to the destination folder. Right-click within the folder and click Paste. You can use this method to move files from a folder on one storage device to a folder on another. For example, you can move a file from your hard drive to an external flash storage device.