Output Devices

System Software - Consists of two major types One to control system components and one to control devices.

Operating System - Users can interact with the operating system directly or indirectly. It's a set of programs that may include, applications to configure devices, monitor performance, establish an internet connection, memory management and a user interface.

Operating System Functions
Cold boot - Turning on a computer that has been powered off completely.
Warm Boot - Using the operating system to restart a computer.

POST - Power on Self Test - Tests your computer to check basic functions are working correctly.

Boot Drive - is the drive from which your computer starts.

A recovery disk contains a few system files that will start the computer.

User Interface - Controls how you ender data and instructions and how information is sdisplayed on the screen. GUI - You interact with graphical interfaces through menus and visual images.

With a command line interface, a user uses the keyboard to enter data and instructions.

Dos is an example of a command line interface.

Memory management optimizes the user of the RAM.

Virtual Memory is a portion of a storage medium functioning as addition RAM - Though this allot slower than using the RAM by itself.

Driver is a small set of instructions used to tell the operating system how to use the piece of hardware. While other new hardware devices are plug and play for supported OS as the operating system already knows how to use the device.

Operating Systems will provide the user with an ability to manage files, search for files, view images, delete files or options on how to secure your computer.

Three types of an OS; Stand-Alone, Server or Embedded. For a list of current OS systems and their share of the web connected market click on this link.

Stand-Alones: Windows 7, Mac OS X, Unix, Linux.
Server Operating Systems: Windows Server 2008, Unix, Linux, Solaris, NetWare.
Embedded Operating Systems: Windows Embedded CE, Pal OS, iPhone OS, Google Android, Ciscos.