Chapter 5: Operating systems

Introduction

The operating system is a particular program that coordinates the proper

functioning of a computer, that is, it provides memory, file system, task scheduling, and
peripherals management.

An operating system (OS) is the program that after being initially loaded into the
computer by a boot program(BootLoader) manages all the other programs in a
computer. The other programs are called applications or application programs. The
application programs make use of the operating system by making requests for services
through a defined application program interface (API). In addition, users can interact
directly with the operating system through a user interface such as a command line or
a graphical user interface (GUI). eg of OS includes: DOS (Disk Operating System), UNIX,
LINUX, Windows, Windows NT.

I. Description of the operating system

The operating system is responsible for ensuring the connection between the
material resources, the user and the applications (word processing, video game ...). So
when a program wants to access a hardware resource, it does not need to send
information device-specific, it simply sends the information to the operating system,
which is responsible for transmitting to the device concerned via its driver.

In the absence of drivers, each program should recognize and take into account
the communication with each type of device!

The operating system thus makes it possible to "dissociate" the programs and
the hardware, in particular to simplify the management of the resources and to offer
the user a human-machine interface (denoted "HMI") simplified in order to allow him to
overcome the complexity of the material (the physical machine).

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 II. Components of the operating system

The operating system consists of a set of software to manage interactions with the
hardware.

Among this set of software we generally distinguish the following elements:

- The kernel represents the core functions of the operating system such as
memory management, processes, files, main I / O, and communication features.

- The command interpreter or shell allowing communication with the operating

system via a command language, in order to allow the user to control the devices
while ignoring all the characteristics of the equipment he uses, the management of
physical addresses, etc.

- The file system for saving files in a tree

III. Features of operating systems.

1. Parallelism and pseudo parallelism

Parallelism is the basis of modern computers; from the hardware point of view,
the processor goes from one program to another in a few milliseconds, which will give
the user an impression of simultaneity. It is the pseudo parallelism, to differentiate with
the true parallelism of the multiprocessor systems.

2. Programs and processes

It is very important to differentiate a program and process. A process is a running

program that is associated with a processor environment and a memory environment.

A program is a sequence of instructions (static notion), whereas a process is the

image of the contents of registers and central memory (dynamic notion).

3. Process scheduling

When a process is started, the system must manage memory and processor
allocation granted to it. He uses the scheduler

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 An operating system is pre-emptive when it can stop any application at any time
to move to the next one (example: Windows XP, Windows 7 and GNU / Linux are pre-
emptive systems). It can also be cooperative when it allows several applications to work
and occupy the memory, and leaving them to manage this occupation (example:
Windows 95, 98 and Millennium are cooperative systems).

There is therefore pre-emptive multitasking (the operating system retains

control and reserves the right to close the application) and cooperative multitasking
(the operating system lets the applications manage).

4. Special features
a. The multitasking system

An operating system is said to be "multi-threaded" when several "tasks" (also

called processes) can be executed simultaneously.

A system is said to be pre-emptive when it has a scheduler which distributes,

according to priority criteria, the machine time between the different processes that
request it.

The system is said to be time-shared when a time quota is allocated to each process
by the scheduler (multi-user systems).

b. The multi-processor system

Multiprocessing is a technique of running multiple processors in parallel in order to

obtain a higher computing power than that obtained with a high-end processor or to
increase the availability of the system (in the event of a failure of a processor).

Multiprocessing is a technique consisting of running several processors in parallel in

order to obtain more computing power.

c. Embedded systems

Embedded systems are operating systems designed to operate on small machines,

such as PDAs (personal digital assistants) or autonomous electronic devices (space
probes, robots, vehicle on-board computers , etc.).

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 The main “general public” embedded systems for personal digital assistants are:
PalmOS, Windows CE / Windows Mobile / Window Smartphone.

d. Real time systems

Essentially used in the industry, are systems whose purpose is to operate in a time-
constrained environment, that is to say it must be able to deliver a treatment correct
information received at well-defined time intervals (regular or not).

5. The states of a process

A process can have multiple states:
• Execution (R for running): the process is running;
• Sleep (S for sleeping): in a cooperative multitasking, when he gives his hand; or in a
pre-emptive multitasking, when it is interrupted after a quantum of time;
• Stop (T for stopped): the process has been temporarily stopped by a signal. It will no
longer execute and will only react to a restart signal;
• Zombie (z for zombie): The process has finished, but his father has not read his
return code yet.

IV. Roles of the operating system

The roles of the operating system are diverse:

-Management of the processor: the operating system is responsible for

managing the allocation of the processor between the different programs by means of
a scheduling algorithm. The type of scheduler is totally dependent on the operating
system, depending on the purpose.

-Management of RAM: the operating system is responsible for managing the

memory space allocated to each application.

-Input / Output Management: The operating system allows you to unify and
control program access to hardware resources through drivers (also known as device
managers or input / output managers).

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 - Management of the execution of the applications: the operating system is
in charge of the good execution of the applications by allocating them the resources
necessary for their good functioning. As such, it allows you to "kill" an application that
no longer responds properly.

-Management of Rights: The operating system is responsible for the security of

program execution by ensuring that resources are only used by programs and users
with the appropriate rights.

-Management of the files: the operating system manages the reading and the
writing in the file system and the rights of access to the files by the users and the
applications.

-Management of information: the operating system provides a number of

indicators to diagnose the proper functioning of the machine.

V. Types of Operating systems

 Batch operating system: The users of a batch operating system do not interact
with the computer directly. Each user prepares his job on an off-line device like
punch cards and submits it to the computer operator.
 Distributed operating System: Distributed systems use multiple central
processors to serve multiple real-time applications and multiple users. Data
processing jobs are distributed among the processors accordingly.
 Network operating System: A Network Operating System runs on a server and
provides the server the capability to manage data, users, groups, security,
applications, and other networking functions. The primary purpose of the network
operating system is to allow shared file and printer access among multiple
computers in a network, typically a local area network (LAN. Examples of network
operating systems include Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows
Server 2008, UNIX, Linux, Mac OS X, Novell NetWare, and BSD.

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  Real Time operating System: A real-time system is defined as a data
processing system in which the time interval required to process and respond to
inputs is so small that it controls the environment.

VI. Operation systems classification

Operating systems can be classified into different categories and according to different
criteria:

• Interfaces: The command line or text mode with a keyboard or GUI or graphic mode
with the mouse pointer

• The number of applications running simultaneously: The single task: only one
task can be executed at a time or Multitasking: several tasks are executed at once

• The number of users: Mono user: supports only one user or Multi user: can support
multiple sessions at the same time

• Network Connectivity: Client or Server

VII. Examples of operating systems

There are several types and categories and families of operating systems:

MS DOS system (Microsoft Disc Operating System)

The operating systems of the WINDOWS family (WindowsXP, Windows Vista,

Windows 7, Windows 8,

Windows 10, etc ...) all are multi-tasking and multi-user systems.

The operating systems of the LINUX family (Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva,
Knopix, etc.) are all

Multitasking and multiuser systems.

Macintosh Mac OS System Multitasking Multiuser

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 VIII. Folder, path and file
1. The folder

A folder is simply a container ready to hold files.

This requires a rigorous organization of all these thousands of files (or many more)
in a very particular structure of the hard disk (tree structure) and a meticulous assembly
of the information contained in each file (system of files).

A hard disk therefore has a “tree” structure starting from a root which is the origin
of the whole system. A disk or a partition of a disk can be named C: D: or E: etc. If a
hard disk is named C: its root will be noted C:\

From this root, "child" folders can be created. Each "son" folder can be the "parent" of
other "son" folders. As a result, any "child" folder has only a single "parent" and the
root C:\ is the ultimate "parent" of all folders on the hard drive. It is a hierarchy of files.

Example of representation:

2. A path

A path is the succession of folders from the root of the storage unit.

Each folder is said to have a unique "path" in the tree structure leading to its location.

In the previous example the path leading to the folder4 will be: C:\folder2\folder4

A file in the folder1, for example the file3, will have the following path:

C:\folder1\file3

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 3. The file

A file is a structured set of information or data, saved in a permanent memory (hard

disk, USB key, etc.).

At the time of recording, a name is given to the file in order to differentiate it

from all the others. As far as possible (Windows limits the name of a file to 255
characters), it is more practical (but not obligatory) to choose for the file a name
which evokes its contents.

After a while, your files will accumulate on the hard disk and it will sometimes
be difficult to find a certain file (to modify it, print it) among all the others. It is
therefore appropriate to classify them virtually in thematic files (computer equivalent
of the filing cabinet).

A file will therefore be characterized by:

 its name (given by the user)

 its extension (given in principle by the system depending on the software in
which the file is created)
 its size (capacity of information contained in this file, automatically calculated by
the computer)
 its access path (location or folder in the permanent memory or storage unit)

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