Key Terms (Summary in Previous Post)
· Algorithm: A set of clearly defined, logical steps that solve a problem.
· Applications software: Also called productivity software; helps you perform a specific task, such as word processing or spreadsheets.
· Boot: The process of starting a computer.
· Graphical user interfaces (GUIs): Operating systems with graphical symbols representing files, programs, and documents.
· Language translators: Systems software that converts code written in a programming language into machine language that the computer can understand.
· MS-DOS: Microsoft’s Disk Operating System; originally introduced with the IBM PC in 1981.
· Multitasking: Running two or more distinct computer operations simultaneously—one in the foreground, the other(s) in the background.
· Network operating system: An operating system that runs on a network server.
· Operating systems: Systems software that provide an interface between the user or application program and the computer hardware.
· Software development: The multistep process of designing, writing, and testing computer programs.
· Systems software: A group of programs that coordinate and control the resources and operations of a computer system.
· Unix: Operating system developed by AT&T. It is considered portable, meaning it can run on just about any hardware platform.
· User interface: Part of the computer’s operating system that users interact with.
· Utility software: Systems software that performs tasks related to managing the computer’s resources, file management, diagnostics, and other specialized chores.