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Learning About Operating Systems

An operating system is a generic term for the multitasking software layer that lets you perform a wide array of 'lower level tasks' with your computer. By low-level tasks we mean:

• the ability to log on with a username and password
• log off the system and switch users
• format storage devices and set default levels of file compression
• install and upgrade device drivers for new hardware
• install and launch applications such as word processors, games, etc
• set file permissions and hidden files
• terminate misbehaving applications

A computer would be fairly useless without an OS, so today almost all computers come with an OS preinstalled. Before 1960, every computer model would normally have its own OS custom programmed for the specific architecture of the machine's components. Now it is common for an OS to run on many different hardware configurations.

At the heart of an OS is the kernel, which is the lowest level, or core, of the operating system. The kernel is responsible for all the most basic tasks of an OS such as controlling the file systems and device drivers. The only lower-level software than the kernel would be the BIOS, which isn't really a part of the operating system.

The most popular OS today is Microsoft Windows, which has about 85% of the market share for PCs and about 30% of the market share for servers. But there are different types of Windows OSs as well. Some common ones still in use are Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows Server. Each Windows OS is optimized for different users, hardware configurations, and tasks. For instance Windows 98 would still run on a brand new PC you might buy today, but it's unlikely Vista would run on PC hardware originally designed to run Windows 98. There are many more operating systems out there besides the various versions of Windows, and each one is optimized to perform some tasks better than others. Free BSD, Solaris, Linux and Mac OS X are some good examples of non-Windows operating systems.

Geeks often install and run more than one OS on a single computer. This is possible with dual-booting or by using a virtual machine. Why? The reasons for this are varied and may include preferring one OS for programming, and another OS for music production, gaming, or accounting work. An OS must have at least one kind of user interface. Today there are two major kinds of user interfaces in use, the command line interface (CLI) and the graphical user interface (GUI). Typically speaking, GUIs are intended for general use and CLIs are intended for use by computer engineers and system administrators. Although some engineers only use GUIs and some geeks still use a CLI even to type an email or a letter.

In recent years, more and more features are being included in the basic GUI OS install, including notepads, sound recorders, and even web browsers and games. This is another example of the concept of 'convergence'. A great example of an up and coming OS is Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a Linux operating system which is totally free, and ships with nearly every application you will ever need already installed. Even a professional quality office suite is included by default. What's more, thousands of free, ready-to-use applications can be downloaded and installed with a few clicks of the mouse. This is a revolutionary feature in an OS and can save lots of time, not to mention hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a single PC.

(based on: www.english4it.com)

3. Match the words and word combinations with their Ukrainian equivalents:

4. Write a summary to the text Learning About Operating Systems.

5. Insert the missing words from the text. Guess them from their initial letters:

1. We're aware of the "Login with this u______ and p_____ failed" message you're receiving. 2. In the Logoff menu you can elect to immediately s______ to a different user, or you can choose to l______ entirely. 3. I am going to describe the options that are available in the Windows’ format tool and I also going to show you how to format s____ d____ (Hard Drive, USB flash drive, etc) in Windows 7 using different file systems. 4. The COMPRESS= ODS PDF option enables you to change the d_____ l_____ of file compression for your PDF file. 5. The system cannot find any drivers for the added device when you are trying to u_____ d____ for a device which is not branded. 6. A m_____ a_____ can be terminated via the Task Manager window.

6. Insert the words in bold type into appropriate places:

(To) install – (an) istallation – installed – preinstalled

1. WordPress is well known for its ease of ______.
2. Geeks often ______ and run more than one OS on a single computer.
3. Ubuntu is a Linux operating system which is totally free, and ships with nearly every application you will ever need already ______.
4. Today almost all computers come with an OS ______.

(To) upgrade – (an) upgrade – upgrading – upgraded

1. You should _____ device drivers for new hardware.
2. Before _____ the live site you need to set up a test site which is as close as possible to the configuration of your live site, then test the _____ on that.
3. It’s better to have your OS _____.

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