Text D. Operating System

An operating system (OS) is an interface between hardware and user

which is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and

the sharing of the resources of the computer that acts as a host for computing

applications run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an operating

system is to handle the details of the operation of the hardware. This relieves

application programs from having to manage these details and makes it

easier to write applications. Almost all computers (including handheld computers,

desktop computers, supercomputers, video game consoles) as well as

some robots, domestic appliances (dishwashers, washing machines), and portable

media players use an operating system of some type. Some of the oldest

models may, however, use an embedded operating system that may be contained

on a data storage device.

Operating systems offer a number of services to application programs

and users. Applications access these services through application programming

interfaces (APIs) or system calls. By invoking these interfaces, the application

can request a service from the operating system, pass parameters, and receive

the results of the operation. Users may also interact with the operating system

with some kind of software user interface (SUI) like typing commands by using

command line interface (CLI) or using a graphical user interface (GUI, commonly

pronounced “gooey”). For hand-held and desktop computers, the user interface

is generally considered part of the operating system. On large multi-user

systems like Unix and Unix-like systems, the user interface is generally implemented as an application program that runs outside the operating system.

(Whether the user interface should be included as part of the operating system

is a point of contention.)

Common contemporary operating systems include BSD, Darwin (Mac OS

X), Linux, SunOS (Solaris/OpenSolaris), and Windows NT (XP/Vista/7). While

servers generally run Unix or some Unix-like operating system, embedded system

markets are split amongst several operating systems, although the Microsoft

Windows line of operating systems has almost 90% of the client PC market.

Windows 7 is the most recent publicly available version of Microsoft

Windows, a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal

computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, netbooks,

tablet PCs and media center PCs.Windows 7 was released to manufacturing on

July 22, 2009, and general retail availability on October 22, 2009, less than

three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Windows 7's

server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 R2, was released at the same time.

Unlike its predecessor, which introduced a large number of new features,

Windows 7 was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to

the Windows line, with the goal of being fully compatible with applications and

hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible. Presentations given

by Microsoft in 2008 focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows

Shell with a new taskbar, referred to as the Superbar, a home networking

system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements. Some applications

that have been included with prior releases of Microsoft Windows, including

Windows Calendar, Windows Mail, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows

Photo Gallery, are not included in Windows 7; some are instead offered

separately as part of the free Windows Live Essentials suite.

Exercise 13. What’s your immediate reaction to the article you’ve just read?

Complete one or more of the following:

1) I’m amazed that …

2) I’m not so sure that …

3) I already knew that …

4) I can hardly believe that …

5) I tend to agree that …

Exercise 14. What do the following abbreviations stand for? They are all used in the article:

API SUI CLI GUI BSD

Exercise 15. Find the words in the article which mean the following. The first and the last letters are given:

1) the physical and electronic parts of a computer, rather than the

instructions it follows (paragraph 1) h … e

2) a small computer that you can carry with you (paragraph 1) h … d

3) a type of computer that is small enough to fit on the top of a desk

(paragraph 2) d …p

4) to divide into two or more parts (paragraph 3) s … t

5) a small computer with a screen that you can write on using a special

pen or that you can connect a keyboard to (paragraph 4) t … t

6) a thing which has the same purpose as another one in a different

place or organization (paragraph 4) c … t

7) something which comes before another thing in time or in a series

(paragraph 4) p … r

8) a set of symbols that shows the programs you are using and allows

you to change them on a computer screen (paragraph 5) t …r

Exercise 16. Answer the following questions:

1) What is an operating system responsible for?

2) What devices and appliances may contain an operating system?

3) How can users interact with the operating system?

4) What are common contemporary operating systems?

5) What is the most recent operating system released by Microsoft?

6) What new features does Windows 7 possess compared to previous

Windows line?

(the Gerund)

e.g. asking - запитування, reading

1. Finding a good mathematical model is essential.

2. Our aim was finding a good mathematical model for a group of real phenomena.

3. The problem of finding a good mathematical model for a group of real phenomena is essential.

4. Cybernetics is the means of studying the analogs existing between machines and living creatures.

5. Computers can be adapted to the problem of translating lan­guages.

6. Complicated calculations are performed by using computers.

7. By storing instructions within the machine the computer can do its work without human intervention.

8. Differentiating and integrating are algebraic operations.

9. The hardware inside the computer expresses arithmetical or logi­cal relations such as adding, subtracting, comparing or selecting.

10. Robots can replace man in performing difficult and dangerous tasks.

13. Microprocessors are capable of processing at tremendous speeds.

14. Compact discs are capable of storing more information per
square inch than any other type of memory device.

15. Scientists have already built a machine which is capable of rec­ognizing objects without human help.

16. Education is not just learning.

17. The problem of using a computer in an active "man - computer"
dialogue requires the most serious approach.

18. Solving the problem of intellectual interface is the most topical
issue of our time.

19. There are several advantages in making computers as small as one can.

20. Engineers were interested in obtaining numerical results.

21.They objected to carrying out experiments which had not been planned carefully.

22.They insisted on first developing the theory.

23. The results of the calculation depended upon his having applied the proper technique.

24. What is worth doing at all is worth doing well.

1. We know of Newton’s having spent more than 20 years of scientific thinking before finaly formulating them on paper. 2. The motion of this body was changed because of its having been acted upon by an external force. 3. Many scientific discoveries proceeded Newton’s stating his laws of motion. 4. Newton’s having stated his laws of motion is very important for modern science. 5. By studying Newton’s laws of motion we learn that they are applied in our daily life as well. 6. We knew nothing of this device being broken.

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 1277