Chapter 4 Software

Part 2 System Software

Outline
• Computer Language
• Programming Tools
• System Software
• How the Operating System work
• User Interfaces
• Future trends

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Types of Software
Desktop Apps

Applications Web Apps

Mobile Apps
Software

Operating Systems
System Software
Utility Software

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 Machine Language
• Every computer processes instructions
in machine language.

 Numeric codes are used to represent basic operations:

➢Adding and subtracting numbers

➢Comparing numbers
➢Moving numbers
➢Repeating instructions

• Is this a practical language that we can use to

create software?

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 Creating Software
• Why can’t we use human languages for programming?
o Ambiguity→ Can mean different things in different contexts
o Lack of details → Context dependent

For instance, if we give the below command to the computer:

“Get the input from the user and store it”
What do you think would happen?

 “Input” is ambiguous to the computer

 It can mean text, number, audio, etc..
 The command lacks details
 From where to get the input? Keyboard, microphone, touch
screen, etc..
 Where to store it? Main memory, hard disk, etc..

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 Algorithms
• Algorithms are a unified common language that can be
understood by all programmers.
• Programmers convert algorithms to software using different
programming languages.

• Example of Algorithms:

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 Programming Languages
• Low Level Languages
 Machine Languages
 Lang. of 0s and 1s
 Assembly Languages
 Very Basic Instructions

• High Level Languages

 C++, java, VB, Python, etc..

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 Programming

• Programmers/Developers
 People who write software using a programming language

• Programmers use high-level languages such as:

 C++, Java, and Python

• Use Compilers to build and compile code

 Detecting and correcting errors → Debugging
 Convert from High-level to low level code
 E.g. Visual Studio, Eclipse, etc…

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Why Programming?
Why Programming Is Important (YouTube Link)

 Expands your thinking skills

 Makes you more productive and efficient
 It is useful, e.g. write a small script to automate tasks
on your computer
 It is fun

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 What is System Software?
• System software is a type of computer program that is
designed to run a computer's hardware and application
programs.
• It is the interface between the hardware and user
applications.
• It includes the operating system and utility programs.

Link between
Application
Software and
hardware

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Operating System

• Is the program that, after being initially

loaded into the computer by a boot
program, manages all the other programs
in a computer.
• It has multiple functions:
 Memory Management
 File Management
 CPU Management
 Security
 And more.

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How does the Computer Start
• Some Computing devices have full OS in ROM
• Others have only a part in ROM and the core in
the Hard Drive
• Booting Process
 Loads OS from the Hard Drive into memory (RAM)

ROM Booting
Switch on Loads OS from
Program
Computer HD to RAM
Starts

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After OS is loaded what next?

OS loads Word
Windows (OS) User selects (Application
controls screen MS Word Program)

OS controls Word Process Word controls

screen ends screen

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 Operating Systems
• Microsoft OS Family
 Microsoft Windows 10: Introduced in 2015. Popular for
desktop/laptop computers
 Microsoft Windows Server: Runs on small servers to the mightiest
hardware
 Windows Embedded: Designed for devices such as robots, voting
machines, music players, etc.
 Windows 10 Mobile: OS for mobile phones

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 Operating Systems
• Mac OS X:
 Standard for the Mac

• Unix OS
 Used by Internet servers
 Enables timesharing: computers
can communicate with several other
computers at one time
 Menus like windows also exist

• Linux OS
 Open source
 Have multiple spinoff OS

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 Operating Systems
• Apple iOS: Used for iPhone, iPad, and iPod
 Was introduced with the introduction of iPhone in 2007, it
revolutionized the smartphone market

• Google Android: Designed for smart phones

 Android OS, developed by Google followed suit to lead in the
smartphone OS market

• Chrome OS (web-based OS): Designed by Google to work

with Google Web Apps. Based on Linux.

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Utility Programs
• Is system software designed to help analyze,
configure, optimize or maintain a computer.
• Some are included with the OS while others
are stand-alone applications.
• Examples:
 Copy files
 Compress files (eg: zip)
 Virus protection
 Disk Cleanup
 Backup

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Utility Programs

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Device Drivers
• Small Programs that enable communication with
devices

 Keyboard
 Printers
 Flash memory
 etc..

• Most OS’s try to recognize and install the correct

driver, this is called Plug and Play
• If OS can’t find driver, it is downloaded from the
internet

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User Interface
• Operating System behind the scenes most of the time.

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User Interface
• For the user to interact with the computer
system
 It should be simple, effective and user friendly

• Types of user interfaces:

 Old interfaces:
 Command Line
 Menu Driven

 Current interfaces:
 WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointing devices)
 SILK (Speech, Image, Language, Knowledge)

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 Old Interfaces
• Command Line Interface
 Limited only to text commands

• Menu Driven Interface

 Use keyboard to open menus
 Supports shortcuts

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 WIMP Interfaces
(Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointing devices)

• Graphical User Interfaces (GUI)

 Sample Mac Interface

http://www.macintouch.com/specialreports/lion/img/aqua/aqua107b_large.jpg

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GUI features
• Menu Based

• Submenus

• Pop up Menus

• Context sensitive menus (Right Click)

 Task Bar
 Any Icon
 Start Menu

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 GUI features

• Tiles on the Start Screen

• Windows Icon Shortcuts

• Mac Icon Dock

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SILK Interfaces
(Speech, Image, Language, Knowledge)

• Gesture Based Interfaces:

 A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which
visible bodily actions communicate particular messages.
 A simple gesture recognition algorithm can detect hand
location and movement

• Examples:
 Smartphone, tablets touch screens
 XBOX – Kinect uses multiple cameras to detect motion
 Nintendo – Wii uses controllers to detect gestures

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SILK Interfaces
• Virtual Reality
 An interactive computer-generated experience within a
simulated environment. It is mainly auditory and visual
feedback, but may allow sensory feedback like haptic.

• Augmented Reality
 A live view of a physical, real-world environment whose
elements are augmented/supplemented by computer-
generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics and
more recently even smell!
 E.g. Ikea Catalog App, Pokémon Go

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SILK Interfaces

• Mixed Reality
(3D Interactive Holograms)
 A live presentation of physical real-world
elements is incorporated with that of virtual
elements such that they are perceived to
exist together in a shared environment.

• Voice Commands:
 It uses speech recognition algorithms
 Can recognize multiple languages and tones
 E.g. Siri, S Voice, Cortana virtual assistant

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The Digital Future: Metaverse

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