Operating Systems

Operating Systems

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Command Line Interface

The command line interface is also referred to as CLI, in the CLI the user type’s commands at a prompt and then it tells the computer what to do. On the CLI some of the commands that can be entered are:

• DIR – This brings a listing of all files and folders on the drive.
• MD – This creates a directory.
• CD – This changes the directory.
• CDI – This takes you back to the command driving interface.
• RD – This command removes the directory.
• DIR/? – This brings up the options menu in the CLI.
• IPCONFIG – This shows the IP address for the computer.

The problem with Command Line Interface is that you have to know all the commands before you can use it, this means that it is usually used by more advanced users as it provides more controls.

Graphical User Interface

The graphical user interface is also referred to as GUI, the GUI is known as a WIMP. This means that it has Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers. Here the user does not have to enter commands as such but uses the computer by moving a pointer around with the mouse and clicking on certain options etc. this is doing the same task the CLI can do but the GUI is a more aesthetic, user friendly way to enter the commands.

MS-DOS

MS-DOS stands for Microsoft Disk Operating System, it was mainly used in-between the 1980s and 1990s by most people who had a personal computer. It doesn’t have a graphical user interface and only includes and graphical user interface. It allowed the user to navigate, open and manipulate files using the Command Line Interface. The user had to know what they were doing before they sued MS-DOS because you have to have knowledge of commands and what they do and also memorise them in order to do anything using MS-DOS due to it being a Command Line Interface only. Some commands that could be entered into MS-DOS are:

• DIR – This brings a listing of all files and folders on the drive.
• MD – This creates a directory.
• CD – This changes the directory.
• CDI – This takes you back to the command driving interface.
• RD – This command removes the directory.
• DIR/? – This brings up the options menu in the CLI.
• IPCONFIG – This shows the IP address for the computer.
   

Today MS-DOS is rarely used and has almost died out, expert users interested in the history of operating systems and the navy food system still use them to do work. Now operating systems contain Graphical User Interfaces as well as Command Line Interfaces.

 

Windows

The first operating system by Microsoft was MS-DOS, MS-DOS was a Command prompt and only had a CLI but no GUI. This allowed the user to write their own programmes, after MS-DOS was released Microsoft then changed the name of their operating systems to Windows, Windows 3.1 was released in 1992 and this gave the user a GUI, however users that wanted to run games on their computer struggled to run games while having the GUI open. This allowed the user to shut the GUI and enter the CLI which they could then launch the game through. Windows 3.1 could only do one or two tasks at a time. After windows 3.1 windows 3.1.1 was released which gave more networking and the use of the internet.

After this the operating systems for windows were massively improved in strength of the stability and power to run more than two/three programmes at once. Windows 95, 98, 98 2^nd Edition and Windows Millennium Edition are were mainly used at home. On the other hand Windows NT was released and then later Windows 2000, these two operating systems were used by businesses and Windows NT Version 4 was most widely used.

Just over a year later Windows XP was released along with Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. This was a big jump for windows some of the improvements from the previous versions were massive.

It was now reliable, it had an enhanced driver device verifier, improved code protection, and Windows file protection and windows installer. The performance for this operating system was also vastly improved, it now ran up to 4GB RAM and was designed to allow programmes to run simultaneously. It was now also a lot more secure and also a lot easier to use for the user.

After Windows XP Windows Vista was released in 2007 and the main noticeable change in this operating system was the GUI, this changed the start menu, date and time and near enough everything visual to the user. After the release of Windows 7, Windows 8 was released which had a different start up GUI, It had a store to download apps ready on the computer, bundled applications with the computer and a lot more reliable, secure, easily manageable operating system in general.

Windows 10 has been announced for the next Operating system but we are yet to see it be released. All Windows operating systems are proprietary meaning that you have to pay for a license to use them.

LINUX Operating System

LINUX Operating System was released in 1991, it was created by Linus Torvalds because he wanted to create a free operating system. It is open to edit and change the coding enabling the community to upgrade and develop the operating system.

Many of them specialized in certain areas of the computer, for example Linux 64. Linux 64 specialized in the audio and video aspects of a computer, another one that specialized in a certain area was Astra Linux, and this was designed for the Russian Army and contained incredibly high and strong security aspects.

There are also community developed Linux operating systems that are made for children, elderly people, specialize in gaming, video editing and high CPU usage, they all also come at a free cost.

A very popular version on LINUX is Ubuntu, which is free but a very widely used operating systems which runs similar to windows.

Mac OS

The Mac OS is an operating system created by Apple, it has no CLI and only a GUI which is accessible by the user. The first Mac OS was released in 1984, it was actually called Mac System Software. It could only run one application at a time other than desktop accessories such as the calculator, folders etc. The next major operating system was AppleShare and this included a Work Station Installer Disk, it also had fixed problems with the data loss, system crashes and also improved the calculator and desktop accessories. In 1988 the final AppleShare System Software was released which had an updated LaserWriter Driver which was the biggest improvement on this release.

The next one introduced was Mac OS 7.6 in which they changed the name due to an experimental programme that Apple were doing, this was released in 1997. This was a change in the Apple Operating System, it included a revamped extensions manager, more power, bundled internet tools and utilities which included a more stable Finder Application.

The Latest Apple Operating System is the OS X Yosemite and this has a redesigned interface, includes streamlined toolbars, redesigned buttons, and a new dock and also had a notifications centre built into it. There has been no information released on another Apple Operating System as of yet as the OS X Yosemite was only released in October 2014.

Operating Systems (Functions and Services)

Machine and peripheral management

Machine and peripheral management are what control the operation of the hardware. This includes things such as the performance manager which shows the usage of the CPU to allow the user to know which applications and software is putting stress on the computer. They look after the computer by performing background tasks such as security scans using the built in security software, calculating CPU Usage. Another thing is Defragmentation where it speeds up the hard drive by putting files that have been split up back together so the file can be read quicker than if it was fragmented.

Device Drivers

Device Drivers are software than enable a hardware to work with the operating system. Different drivers allow it to do different jobs which allow the device driver to be specialized for a specific task, this allows more reliability, stability, and availability in the software.

 

Security

Security allows us to have usernames and passwords, access rights and permissions. This also makes the user feel more secure when putting confidential information onto the computer, this could include things such as credit card numbers, debit card numbers, personal details. Computer Security ensures the user that data put on the computer by them cannot be accessed by anyone else without their permission, this includes data encryption and passwords. Encrypted data is unintelligible unless decrypted using a deciphering mechanism.

File Management

File management is using files and folders, copy, delete, move, rename etc. CLI is different to the GUI in file management. This also includes putting passwords onto folders and making archive folder structures, ZIP folders are also used to compress files into a smaller file size, this allows data transfer to be completed faster and easier.

 

Comparison of Windows 8.1 and Mac OS

Ability To Customise

In Windows 8.1 you can access both the CLI (Command Line Internet) and the GUI (Graphical User Interface), on the graphical interface you can simply customise:

• Backgrounds
• Can change whether to boot the computer to the start screen or the desktop.
• Schedule Maintenance
• Set word a Password or Picture Password.
• Sync and Privacy
• Save Bandwidths for individual programmes.
• Pick a Touch Keyboard or a Standard Keyboard
   

Most of these are new to the Windows 8.1 Graphical User Interface except from the customisable backgrounds and pointers available to choose from in the earlier version of windows.

 

You can also customise the computer in the CLI, to open the Command Line Interface you click F12 as the computer boots up, once in the CLI you can customise things such as:

• Prompt
• Colours
• Titles
• Columns
   

These are all customisable using simple DOS Commands but editing the Command Line Interface isn’t recommended unless you know what you’re doing but you can do most of what you can do in the CLI on the GUI.

 

In Mac OS you can the user only has access to GUI (Graphical User Interface), on the graphical user interface you can simple right click and access system preferences where there you can then choose custom images that you have saved as your background or have images supplied by apple. Other easily customisable things on the GUI are:

• Customise what is on the Dock
• Customise the Icons for Programmes
• Alert Sounds
• Screen Savers
   

Most of the features are available on other versions of the Mac OS but these are some customisable features on the Mac. On the Mac OS you cannot access the CLI so all customisable features are on the Graphical User Interface.

Comparing Windows 8.1 and Mac OS, Windows 8.1 has a lot more ability to customise, being able to select booting options, schedule maintenance and selecting bandwidths for certain programmes aren’t available on the Mac OS.

 

However Mac OS has customisable icons, alert sounds and a customisable time warning. Windows 8.1 and Mac OS both have many similar features such as being able to customise the background, set passwords and change the colours and titles.

Support for the User

There are many problems and inexperienced and experienced user can come across. Windows 8.1 supports the user when they come across a problem, this includes troubleshooting and the operating system trying to fix the problem itself for things such as unresponsive programmes, in the start menu there is a help and support section where the user can search for help whether it be learning the computer basics to how to install programmes.

If the user cannot find what they are looking for in the menu cannot support the user it then gives them a link to their website where there are forums and discussions with other people who have had the problem. There is also a telephone support line for those who cannot access the information on the internet where the operator on the phone can access your computer or talk you through it step by step on the phone. There are also manuals and instructions supplied with the Operating System when brought.

Inexperienced and Experienced users have trouble using the Mac OS because you don’t see it around very often. For those who struggle there are forums on the Apple website, with a list of frequency asked questions which are answered by Apple employees.

They also have a phone number you can call for those who don’t have access to the internet and a web chat where you can talk with an operator for those who do have access to the internet. On the support website there are sections for official Apple applications, certain operating systems and for all of the Mac hardware.

 

On the Mac itself you can get Support Downloads and Troubleshooting. Other than that all other support is through phone calls or the Internet.

Windows 8.1 and Mac OS are very similar in ways that they support the user, they both have troubleshooting and support offline on the GUI. They both also contain forums on their website and discussions with other users of the operating systems.

 

There is a telephone support line for both Windows 8.1 and Mac OS if any problems occur which cannot be resolved using the previous methods. Both also come with manuals and instructions supplied when the operating system is brought, The Mac OS has the edge over Windows 8.1 in views of support for the user because this operating system allows you to download support applications and applications which can also resolve the problems once they are found.

Connecting of Portable Media

Connecting of Portable Media has been a massive upgrade in Windows 8.1, allowing you to Sync phones, tablets, televisions and all kinds of technology. This allows data and information from the computer to be shared between devices making your computer the centre of all your devices.

 

Many other types of Portable Media can be connected to the Windows 8 Systems such as:

• Flash USB Drives
• External Hard Drives
   

Windows 8 has more drivers available allowing you to connect more Flash USBs and External Hard Drives than you could on the previous Windows Operating Systems. There are programmes such as Windows Media Player which is a built in programme to Windows 8.1 allowing the user to watch their Portable Media without having to purchase more software and go through an installation process.

It also allows you to create portable media by burning your media onto a disc, or extract portable media from the device and store it on your computer.

Connecting of Portable Media in the Mac OS is highly advanced compared to other operating systems, the latest Mac OS allows the user to use wireless to connect external HDD and use their mobile phone as a portable storage device. It allows you to sync Apple products to the Mac OS where media is shared using the cloud memory storage.

 

Other types of portable media that can be connected using Mac OS are:

• Flash USB Drives
• SD Cards
   

The latest Mac OS supports more drivers allowing the user to connect more printers, mouse, keyboards and speakers. There are built in programmes that allow you to view portable media as well as edit them on the Mac OS, programmes such as QuickTime player allows you to view the media and programmes like IMovie and Photobooth that come on the Mac OS allow the user to create their own media.

You can also create portable media by burning your media onto a disc or extracting your media off the portable device for storage on your Mac OS.

Windows 8.1 allows connection of all noticed brands of phones, tablets, media players, flash USB Drives and External Hard Drives.

Both operating systems allow the user to create portable media and extract portable media using discs, from a media perspective for this the Mac OS gets the edge because it has loads of free applications and loads of ready installed applications for the user to create, extract and edit their media.

Security

Security is very important to all computer users, Windows 8 has a free security programme called ‘Microsoft Security Essentials’ which is a security programme create by the company of the Operating System, it is there to help protect your computer from viruses, spyware and other malicious software.

It is available in 33 different languages so it has a large audience from all over the world and it is free to install for the older Windows Operating Systems. Windows 8 itself comes with two installed programmes which are Windows Defender and Windows Smart screen which serves the same purpose as Windows Security Essentials, it also allows parental controls to be controlled through the security system and monitor what the user being monitored is looking at.

Security was a big part Apple focused on when creating the latest Mac OS, they bring out regular updates which are easy to download by clicking the notification as it pops up, this updates the built in security on the Mac OS, which is called Gatekeeper.

Gatekeeper is a security programme that checks all apps as there downloaded even though all apps downloaded from the apple store are checked by apple before they are available for download. Gatekeeper constantly recommends using the Apple app store to the user but has three options. The options allow you to have to put your password In to download an app, download them for the app store or if you’re sure the software is safe, manually override the system for download.

Windows 8.1 has Microsoft Security Essentials on the operating system which is available in 33 different languages, however the Windows operating systems have never had a good reputation for security but the Microsoft Security Essentials has really improved.

The Mac OS is strong in security, it has Gatekeeper which is made by apple and many other free security applications which are available, and Mac OS also has a really good reputation for not getting viruses and for strong internet and offline security.

Ease of Management

Windows 8 gives the user many more customisable features than older Windows Operating Systems, allowing the user to simply customise Passwords using either words or pictures. A customisable theme and background is also available which allows you to change the colours and patterns on the background, it also allows the user to choose their start up settings and choose whether or not certain programmes and which screen comes up on launch. This is all easily available and is always an option when running the Windows 8.1 operating system for the first time.

Other customisable options are available, some of these options are:

• Selecting Bandwidth use for certain programmes
• Picture Passwords
• Pointers
• Touch Keyboard
   

All of these options are very customisable and have ease of management, all options come up when running Windows 8.1 for the first time allowing the user to choose without having to access settings. If the user then wants to access the settings after running for the first time, there are helplines, forums on the internet and a Help and Support programme on the computer.

Mac OS gives the user many more customisable features than the old Mac Operating Systems, allow the user to put passwords on their computers for security, burn discs which comes up in connecting of portable media, adding and removing icons from the dock at the bottom of the screen, open individual programmes and find programmes using the finder application which is found on the dock.

The user can also change preferences for the time where you can get the Mac to tell you the time every 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes or on the hour.

Other customisable options are available some of these options are:

• Reminders
• Pointers
• On Screen Keyboard
• Cloud Storage
   

All of these options are very customisable and have ease of management, using cloud storage allows the user to share data and information between devices without having to manually and physically transfer the data themselves. Not being able to access the CLI the user has full control of the customisable options on the Mac OS, however you can create an administrator account so that other users other than the owner of the Mac cannot access the customisable options.

Windows 8.1 is really good compared to the Mac OS in ease of management, it allows you to create picture passwords or word passwords to manage your files whereas the Mac OS only allows word passwords, it allows the user to simply choose a customisable theme and background which the Mac OS does let the user do to some extent.

All of the management options are available by either right clicking the mouse on a file or on setting up the computer, you can also select bandwidth on the Windows 8.1 for certain programmes and use a touch keyboard and change the pointers. If the user struggles to do this there are forums, helplines and support programmes on Windows 8.1 for them to do so.

Mac OS is stronger in ease of management from the view of sharing files between your devices, they have cloud storage which is easily available with a login and password but the CLI is not accessible on the Mac OS which means every customisable thing is in the GUI.

File Management

Windows 8.1 is strong in the file management area, it allows the user to create a folder structure using the GUI and CLI. Once creating a folder structure the user can copy, rename, move, delete and cut the files or folders themselves.

Other stuff available in file management on windows 8.1 includes compressing files, encrypting and putting passwords on certain files or folders. Each file has a different Icon depending on which programme is set to open the file, you can also put the files into libraries so that they are easier to locate when looking for certain documents, pictures, videos and music.

Mac OS file management is very customisable, you can create a folder structure using the GUI. Once creating a folder structure the user can then copy, rename, move, delete and cut the files or folders themselves.

Other stuff available in file management on Mac OS includes using password. To find files there is an application called Finder in which you can search for file names, access folder structures and create folder structures.

File management has evolved over all the operating systems, comparing Windows 8.1 and Mac OS they are mainly the same.

You can copy, rename, move, delete and cut files/folders on both. You can also compress and encrypt files on the Windows 8.1 and the programmes associated with the file are easily viewable as it is on the icon.