Operating Systems

An application program designed to manipulate data rather than govern the operation of the computer. A group of programs which governs the computer’s operations is called the operating system. With older computer, a computer operator was responsible for taking care of many duties: setting switches on the computer, loading the correct translator, putting data cards, and the like. While these duties being performed, the expensive computer was idle. Thus, it wasted a lot of money.

Therefore, the operating system was designed to reduce the need for human activity and to allow the computer to perform these activities at electronic speed. The operating system is made up of the major programs. The supervisor program, such as the supervisor, translator, and utility programs. The supervisor program, for example, is the most important part of the operating system because it provides overall control of the computer system. There are two types of translators: compilers, which has been previously discussed, and the assemblers. The compilers are supposed to translate a high level language into machine language; and the assemblers translate symbolic language into machine language.

Next is utility program. It performs jobs commonly required in most data processing systems, such as sorting and copying. The operating systems are supplied by computer manufacturer and are usually machine dependent.

There are some other techniques to improve computer efficiency. Multiprogramming, for example, makes it possible to run more than one program at a time. The CPU can perform calculating on one program while other programs are using input and output devices. This makes for greater throughout. Another example is the data base, Functioning as the centralized collection of data. Data base management system is a group of programs that maintains the data base. Look at the system flowchart. It will show how the data flows from one component of the system to another.

Answer the following questions based on the text above!
1. What is an applications program?
2. What were the duties of a computer operator in the old days?
3. Why was such a system said to be wasting time?
4. What programs make up the operating system?
5. What does the supervisor program do?
6. What does the utility program do?
7. What is the function of multiprogramming?
8. What is the data base?