Survey of PC and Network Operating Systemsmyresource.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/CIS105R2/cis105... · 2007. 8. 23. · >> Describe the role of network operating systems. >> Identify

Norton: Computing Fundamentals, Sixth Edition

7. Using Operating Systems 7B. Survey of PC and Network Operating Systems

© The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2006

OBJECTIVES ::

>> List all the current PC operatingsystems.

>> List and differentiate the variousversions of Windows.

>> Describe the role of networkoperating systems.

>> Identify three current embeddedoperating systems.

L E S S O N / / 7B

Survey of PCand NetworkOperatingSystems

Overview: Operating Systems Yesterday and Today

The personal computer (PC) has come a long way in a relatively shorttime, and much of the progress is due to the continuing advancementsin operating systems. Over the past 30 years, the evolution in operatingsystems has made PCs easier to use and understand, more flexible, andmore reliable. Today, in addition to the operating systems that consumehundreds of megabytes of disk space on personal computers, miniatur-ized operating systems fit into tiny handheld portable digital assistants(PDAs) and even cellular telephones.

Computer users have several choices when it comes to operating sys-tems, although the choice is not always easy. The vast majority of newPCs are sold with some version of Windows installed, but many users(especially in business) are choosing to run UNIX or Linux. Apple Mac-intosh computers and the proprietary Mac OS have a small but impor-tant share of the desktop OS market.

This lesson is a survey of the primary operating systems used on per-sonal computers and network servers today, describing the basic fea-tures of each.




PC Operating Systems

Microsoft’s Windows operating system continues to thrive on PCs all over theworld and has the largest market share of any competitor. At this writing, evenmanagement at Apple Computers admits that the Macintosh has just 5 percent ofthe desktop OS market share, but Linux is making inroads on the desktop.

The following sections provide a brief survey of the many operating systemsbeing used on desktop computers. Although some of these OSs—such as DOSand Windows 95—may seem out of date, they are still widely used and deserve tobe included in this discussion.

DOSEven though is has been around for decades, DOS (which stands for disk operat-ing system) is still in use today for a variety of reasons. DOS originally came intowidespread use in the 1980s, with the appearance of the IBM PC, which was thefirst personal computer to catch on with consumers and businesses.

Two versions of DOS reigned as the desktop operating system of choicethroughout the 1980s. The first was PC DOS, which IBM released with its com-puters. The other was Microsoft’s version of DOS, known as MS-DOS (MicrosoftDOS), which was used on millions of “IBM-compatible” PCs, or “clones.” (Theseterms describe any PC that is based on the same architecture used by IBM’s per-sonal computers.)

Despite its dominance in the PC market for more than a decade, DOS sufferedsome weaknesses. For example, it supported only one user at a time, and couldrun only one program at a time. It had no built-in support for networking, andusers had to manually install drivers any time they added a new hardware com-ponent to their PC. DOS was also limited in the amount of RAM and storagespace it could support. Finally, even today, DOS supports only 16-bit programs,so it does not take full advantage of the power of modern 32-bit (and 64-bit)processors. Finally, DOS used a command-line interface that forced users to re-member cryptic command names.

So, why is DOS still in use? Tworeasons are its size and simplicity. Itdoes not require much memory orstorage space for the system, and itdoes not require a powerful computer.Therefore, it is sometimes used as anembedded OS for devices that runvery simple, single-tasking applica-tions. Another reason for its continueduse is that many businesses still havecustom applications either written asa one-of-a-kind application for theirbusiness or written for their specialneeds and marketed to similar busi-nesses. A restaurant may still be usingthe employee scheduling applicationwritten for it 10 or 15 years ago (see Figure 7B.1), or a small picture framing busi-ness may still use the same program to calculate the cost of the frames it buildsand sells.

Windows NT WorkstationMicrosoft released Windows NT, a 32-bit operating system for PCs, in 1993. Win-dows NT (New Technology) was originally designed as the successor to DOS, but

Using Operating Systems 285

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FIGURE 7B.1 ::

DOS applications, like this one for

employee scheduling, are still in use

today. They are often custom applications

written years ago for a certain industry or

company.




by the time it was ready for release, it had become too large to run on most of thePCs used by consumers at the time. As a result, Microsoft repositioned WindowsNT to be a high-end operating system for powerful workstations and networkservers used in business. (After releasing Windows NT, Microsoft went back to thedrawing board to create a more consumer-oriented version of Windows to replaceDOS on home and office PCs. Windows 95, which is discussed later, was theresult.)

Because high-end networked computers fall into two primary categories, Mi-crosoft separated Windows NT into two products: Windows NT Workstationand the first Windows version for network servers, Windows NT Server. Theserver product was optimized to run on dedicated network servers (see the dis-cussion later in this chapter on NT Server).

Although Windows NT Workstation 4.0looks almost identical to Windows 95 (seeFigure 7B.2), its underlying operating systemis different; it’s almost completely devoidof MS-DOS code that had been present inearlier versions of Windows. Windows NTWorkstation is typically used on stand-alonePCs that may or may not be part of a net-work. While Windows NT Workstation sup-ports networking and can be used as a serverin peer-to-peer networks, it generally is notused on network servers. At first, “powerusers” made up a large part of the marketfor Windows NT Workstation. As a result, itcan be found in such varied places as archi-tectural firms, audio and video productionstudios, and graphics studios. Windows NTWorkstation continues to be on desktops inlarge organizations, but it is being replacedby newer versions of Windows or by Linux.

Windows 9xThe term Windows 9x is used when referring to any member of the closely relatedthreesome: Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me. Although these ver-sions of Windows are considered obsolete by many experts in the computer in-dustry, they are still widely used, especially by consumers with older PCs. In fact,many businesses still run Windows 9x on their desktop PCs.

In 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95, a complete operating system that didnot require MS-DOS to be installed separately before it was installed, unlike itspredecessors (Windows 3.0, 3.1, and 3.11—collectively known as Windows 3.x).Windows 95 installs the necessary MS-DOS operating system components that itneeds and has additional programming code that takes advantage of the more ad-vanced capabilities of newer CPUs and maintains a GUI. Windows 3.x, by con-trast, was an operating environment, which ran on top of DOS to provide a GUIand additional capabilities.

In addition to some MS-DOS program code that allows it to run DOS appli-cations, Windows 95 contains 16-bit code that enables it to run programs origi-nally designed for Windows 3.x (see Figure 7B.3). If a company had alreadyinvested in many such programs, it could continue to use its familiar programswhile migrating to the new operating system.

Windows 95 has several other attractions as well. First, for programs designedwith 32-bit processing, it can exchange information with printers, networks, and

286 Chapter 7

FIGURE 7B.2::

The interface for Windows NT

Workstation 4.0, the last version of

Windows to use “NT” in its name.




files in 32-bit pieces instead of 16-bit pieces (as in Windows 3.x and DOS). Formoving information around in the computer, the effect was like doubling thenumber of lanes on an expressway. Windows 95 has improved multitasking,compared to previous versions of Windows, and it was the first version of Win-dows to support the Plug and Play standard for connecting new hardware. Withintegrated networking support and improvements to the GUI, such as the taskbarand START button, Windows 95 remains popular with individual users, in spite ofnewer versions with even more improvements.

Many experts considered Windows 98 (so-named for the year it was intro-duced—1998) to be an update to Windows 95 rather than a major Windows op-erating system upgrade. In other words, the differences from Windows 95 toWindows 98 are not as significant as the differences from Windows 3.x to Win-dows 95. However, one key change in Windows 98 is the inclusion of the InternetExplorer Web browser with a new feature, the Active Desktop, that lets usersbrowse the Internet and local computer in a similar manner (see Figure 7B.4). Ac-tive Desktop enables users to integrate Internet resources such as stock tickers andnews information services directly on the Windowsdesktop.

In 2000, Microsoft released Windows Me (Millen-nium Edition), the last member of the Windows 9xfamily of consumer-grade operating systems. Win-dows Me offers several notable enhancements overits predecessors, such as improved multimedia capa-bilities, built-in support for digital video editing, andenhanced Internet features. But like Windows 95 and98, Windows Me still contains a lot of 16-bit codethat supports old DOS and Windows 3.x applica-tions. As a result, Windows Me was not much morestable or robust than Windows 95 or 98, and it wassubject to frequent crashes.


DOS, running in a window

A 16-bit application written for Windows 3.x

FIGURE 7B.3 ::

Windows 95 runs 32-bit applications, but

it can run older 16-bit applications

designed for Windows 3.x and DOS.

FIGURE 7B.4 ::

The Windows 98 Active Desktop lets the

operating system function like a Web

browser.




Windows 2000 ProfessionalReleased in 2000, Windows 2000 combines the user-friendly interface and features of Windows 98 withthe file system, networking, power, and stability ofWindows NT and some new and improved features.This combination of features makes Windows 2000both powerful and easy to use.

Microsoft developed four versions of Windows2000: Windows 2000 Professional for the desktopand three versions especially for network servers, dis-cussed later in this chapter (see Figure 7B.5).

Like its predecessor, Windows NT Workstation,Windows 2000 Professional is designed primarily forPCs in offices and small businesses. (Note that Mi-crosoft did not release a version of Windows 2000specifically for home or casual users.) It includes sup-port for symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) with up totwo processors.

Windows XPWindows XP, released in October 2001, is the latest in the Windows suite of PCoperating system families. The desktop has a more three-dimensional look, withrounded corners and more shading. It also offers some brighter color choices (seeFigure 7B.6). Windows XP is available in several different products: Windows XPProfessional, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Media Center Edition, and Win-dows XP Embedded. Microsoft also created 64-bit Windows XP for use withAMD’s Opteron and Athlon 64 CPUs. With Windows XP, Microsoft consolidatedits consumer-grade and enterprise desktop operating systems into one environ-ment. For home users, this means added security and an operating system that isfar less likely to stall or crash than Windows 9x. Here are some of the featuresthat have been upgraded in Windows XP:

>> Digital Media Support. Through the use of Windows Media Player 9, usersof XP can take advantage of digital broadcast support, as well as video andaudio rendering for multimedia projects.

>> Advanced Networking and Communications. Windows XP takes advantageof universal Plug and Play support, which enables the PC to find and usehardware connected via a network, without forcing the user to configure the

system or install drivers. It also makes use of In-ternet Connection Sharing, which allows users toconnect multiple computers to the Internet via asingle connection.

>> Advanced Mobile Computing. Through the useof features like Automatic Configuration, youcan connect an XP-based laptop to a desktop PCwithout needing to know different types of net-work settings. XP’s IrComm modem support letsyou use a cellular telephone to connect to theInternet.

288 Chapter 7

FIGURE 7B.5::

The Windows 2000 desktop is the same

in all four versions of Windows 2000,

including Windows 2000 Professional

and the three server versions.

FIGURE 7B.6::

The Windows XP desktop, shown here in

its colorful default mode.




The Macintosh Operating SystemThe fact that the Macintosh operating system (orMac OS) works only on Macintosh computers haslong been considered one of the operating system’sbiggest drawbacks. Although it has a small marketshare, the Mac remains the first choice of many pub-lishers, multimedia developers, graphic artists, andschools. The current version is called Mac OS SystemX (ten), which has had four major releases. The latestrelease is Mac OS X Panther, also called version 10.3.It has the same desktop, with upgrades to the OS andvarious components, such as the Finder, Mail, andAddress Book. Figure 7B.7 shows the Mac OS X Pan-ther desktop, customized by a user.

UNIX for the DesktopIt is difficult to pin UNIX down to one class of computer, because it runs on sucha wide range, including supercomputers, notebook PCs, and everything in be-tween. Although UNIX does not have an important place in the market for desk-top operating systems, thanks to its power and its appeal to engineers and otherusers of CAD and CAM software, UNIX has been popular for high-poweredworkstations.

UNIX is not for the faint of heart because of its command-line interface, cryp-tic instructions, and the fact that it requires many commands to do even simpletasks. However, those who have worked with UNIX have found the power andstability of this OS worth the effort to learn the commands.

Linux for the DesktopEven though Linux is considered a “freeware” operating system, industry expertshave been impressed by its power, capabilities, and rich feature set. Linux is a full32-bit, multitasking operating system that supports multiple users and multipleprocessors. Linux can run on nearly any computer and can support almost anytype of application. Linux uses a command-line interface, but windows-basedGUI environments, called shells, are available.

The biggest nontechnical difference between UNIX and Linux is price. Anyonecan get a free copy of Linux on the Internet, and disk-based copies are often in-serted in popular computer books and magazines. Commercial versions of Linux,which are inexpensive when compared to the cost of other powerful operatingsystems, are also available from a variety of vendors who provide the Linux codefor free and charge for the extras, such as utilities, GUI shells, and documenta-tion. At this writing, the most popular Linux vendors are Red Hat and Novell,and both offer special Linux bundles for desktop computers as well as for servers.

For all these reasons, Linux has become a popular OS in certain circles. Stu-dents and teachers have flocked to Linux not just for its technical advances but toparticipate in the global community that has built up around the operating sys-tem. This community invites Linux users and developers to contribute modifica-tions and enhancements, and it freely shares information about Linux andLinux-related issues. Although Linux is typically considered to be a server plat-form, an increasing number of software companies are writing new desktop ap-plications or modifying existing ones for Linux.


FIGURE 7B.7 ::

The Mac OS System X desktop.

For more information on the

Macintosh operating system, visit


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Figure 7B.8 shows the version of Linux releasedby Red Hat, with the KDE Desktop environment.Red Hat has grown into one of the most popularLinux releases, complete with its own communityof followers, as well as their own Linux certifica-tion program, known as the Red Hat Certified En-gineer (RHCE) program.

Network Operating Systems

A network operating system (NOS) is an OS thatis designed to run on a network server dedicated toproviding various services to other computers onthe network. The “other” computers are calledclient computers, and each computer that connectsto a network server must be running client soft-ware designed to request a specific service. If youare connecting to a server to store and retrieve

files, your computer must have the client software that allows it to connect to thatserver for that purpose. Further, the specific client software needed varies basedon the NOS running on the server.

All of today’s desktop operating systems include support for some basic ser-vices, such as file and print sharing, over a network. But desktop operating sys-tems are best reserved for the humdrum work of the average business or homeuser. They really don’t work that well as servers. If you work in a small office andwant to share a printer connected to your desktop computer with your cowork-ers, you can do this, whether you are running Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X, in

290 Chapter 7

FIGURE 7B.8::

Linux with an optional GUI desktop.

>>

The idea that humans could control computers with littlemore than their thoughts is the stuff of science fiction. Oris it?

Now a team of doctors, scientists, and programmers havedeveloped a device that does exactly that. For the firsttime, a severely paralyzed—or “locked-in”—patient has theability to control a computer directly with his or herthoughts.

The device, called the Brain Communicator, was createdby Neural Signals, Inc., and allows a locked-in user (who isalert and intelligent but unable to move or speak due tostroke, disease, or injury) to control his or her personalcomputer without the need for a manual keyboard, voicerecognition system, or other standard means of control. Novoluntary movement is necessary.

Neural interface devices (NIDs) such as the Brain Com-municator allow users to take advantage of small electricalsignals generated spontaneously in the body. These signalscan be obtained either directly or indirectly. Direct methods

of collecting the signals involve surgical implantation in theuser’s body; indirect methods can utilize the user’s musclemovements, eye movements, or EEG brain waves.

In the case of the Brain Communicator, a tiny, hollowglass cone filled with wires and chemicals approximately thesize of the tip of a ballpoint pen is implanted onto the pa-tient’s brain. This “neurotrophic electrode” transmits thebrain’s electrical signals to a receiver that descrambles thesignals and then translates them into corresponding digitaloutputs, so computer software can recognize them. This soft-ware, in turn, allows the user to control a cursor and specialelectronic devices that are attached to the computer.

With NIDs, simply by imagining movement, locked-in pa-tients can use a word processor or speech synthesizer, surfthe Internet, or access environmental controls such aslights, music, and TV. Medicine and computer technologycombine to open the horizons of their locked-in world.

The idea for Neural Signals grew out of a research projectof neural researcher and founder Dr. Phillip Kennedy. Today,

Controlling Computers with the Mind




which case your computer is providinga network service.

Network operating systems are opti-mized to provide network services—with support for multiple processorsand support for redundancy—both lo-cally in the form of data redundancy ondrives and specialized network redun-dancy, such as schemes in which onenetwork server is a “mirror” of anotherserver and is available immediately ifthe first server fails. There are manyother “under-the-hood” enhancementsthat enable a NOS to provide reliableservice.

Windows NT ServerWhile it shares the same core as Windows NT Workstation, Windows NT Serverhas additional capabilities. Microsoft fine-tuned Windows NT Server so it wouldfunction as an operating system for servers. It has security features for groupingand authenticating users and controlling their access to network resources. It sup-ports the use of many hard disks, working together to store huge amounts ofdata. It also can be configured to provide redundancy of data, writing the samedata to multiple disks, so it is preserved in case one disk fails. All these featuresmake it possible for Windows NT Server to ensure disk and data security even inthe event of a catastrophic failure of a hard disk.

AT

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the company develops its neural interfacing technology as acollaborative project with researchers at Georgia Tech,Emory University, and Georgia State University. Dr. Kennedyplans to use his brain-to-computer (BCI) technologies tohelp the over 125,000 quadriplegics in the United States aswell as the 30,000 ALS patients immobilized on respirators.In addition, Neural Signals hopes to move into movementrestoration and other markets for the technology.

Even as the future looks bright, the field of neural inter-facing technology is still in its infancy and the practicalapplications of the technology have yet to be realized. Per-haps, someday soon, personal computers will come bundledwith biological signal sensors and thought-recognition soft-ware just as commonly as the word processing and educa-tional programs of today.

SELF-CHECK ::Circle the correct answer for each question.

1. Which operating system first appeared with the IBM PC?

a. Windows b. DOS c. Linux

2. The START button appeared in this version of Windows.

a. Windows 95 b. Windows 98 c. Windows Me

3. The biggest nontechnical difference between UNIX and Linux is _____.

a. size b. price c. power

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Windows 2000 ServerIntroduced in 2000, Microsoft Windows 2000 Serveris available as three products, all of which supportmanaging very large stores of data about the users ofthe network and the computer resources of the net-work. A generic term for such a specialized databaseis enterprise directory (not to be confused with theterm directory sometimes used when talking aboutdisk folders). One of the many things Windows 2000Server can do that Windows 2000 Professional can-not is to manage a directory with a specialized servicecalled Active Directory. All three server productshave the same user interface as Windows 2000 Pro-fessional, as shown in Figure 7B.9.

>> Server Standard Edition. This version is fine-tuned for use as a network server for the averagebusiness, with SMP support for up to twoprocessors.

>> Advanced Server. This is a more powerful version of the server edition. It in-cludes support for SMP with up to four processors, enhanced balancing ofnetwork and component loads, and support for more RAM. Another impor-tant feature is print server clustering. With clustering, Windows 2000 cangroup print servers to provide alternate printers if one print server fails.

>> Data Center Server. This version is the most powerful of the server editions,optimized for use as a large-scale application server, such as a databaseserver. It includes the Advanced Server features, plus support for SMP withup to 32 processors. This product is not sold separately, but is sold throughcomputer manufacturers, bundled with the very expensive, powerful servers.

Windows Server 2003Microsoft extended its Windows Server system line with Windows Server 2003,introduced in April 2003 as two products:

>> Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition. This version is fine-tuned for use asa network server for the average business, with SMP support for up to twoprocessors.

>> Data Center Server. This version is the most powerful of the server editions,optimized for use as a large-scale application server, such as a databaseserver. It includes the Advanced Server features, plus support for SMP withup to 32 processors.

Windows Server 2003 has a Windows XP–style interface that hides a verybeefed up server OS that Microsoft hopes will compete with UNIX, which domi-nates the very high-end enterprise network servers. This server OS was designed tosupport a set of technologies Microsoft dubbed the .NET Framework. In a nut-shell, this means it is designed to support Web-based applications, large databases,e-commerce servers, and distributed applications, which are applications with partsthat run on different computers, distributing the work and data across the net-work. The network, in this case, can be the Internet or a corporate intranet, or anextranet. (Intranets and extranets are discussed in Chapters 2, 9, and 10.)

Novell NetWareNetWare (developed by Novell, Inc.) was one of the earliest and most popularnetwork operating systems in terms of number of installations through the 1980s

292 Chapter 7

FIGURE 7B.9::

The Windows 2000 Server GUI is

identical to that of the Professional

version.




and into the 1990s. Although its market share has declined in recent years, Nov-ell still has a strong following and continues to bring out new network products.NetWare server is now just one server operating system offered by Novell. Novelloffers two Linux Server products, SuSE Enterprise and SuSE Standard, in additionto the Novell NetWare server product. The benefit of the NetWare server productis the long-term reliability of the product and the loyal network administrators ofits installed base of servers that have been running earlier versions of NetWareservers for many years. The SuSE Linux products offer both a basic, department /small business NOS in SuSE Standard, and in SuSE Enterprise, a powerful oper-ating system that can run on a broad range of computers, up to mainframes. TheNetWare and SuSE Enterprise products support distributed applications.

UNIX for ServersBecause of its ability to work with so many kinds of hardware and its reliability(it rarely crashes), UNIX remains a very frequently chosen operating system forInternet host computers.

In the business world, UNIX remains a popular network operating system, es-pecially among organizations that manage large databases shared by hundreds orthousands of users. Many types of specialized database-specific software programshave been developed for the UNIX platform and are deeply entrenched in indus-tries such as insurance, medicine, banking, and manufacturing. The various ver-sions of UNIX have collectively “owned” the market for very large, mission-criticalservers in the largest of enterprises. UNIX is also widely used on Web servers, es-pecially those that support online transactions and make heavy use of databases. Inaddition, UNIX has long been the OS of choice for the most critical servers of theInternet, such as those that maintain the lists of Internet domain names.

Linux for ServersLinux has garnered a large share of the small business and home market as aserver OS for providing Internet and networking services. An open operating sys-tem, it is a cost-effective alternative to other operating systems for sharing files,applications, printers, modems, and Internet services. There is a large number ofLinux servers hosting Web sites and performing other roles on the Internet.

In the last few years, more and more vendors have brought out products bun-dled with Linux targeting large (enterprise) organizations; among them are RedHat and Novell. Novell’s venture into Linux products is expected to help bringabout the eventual dominance of Linux on a wide range of servers, competingwith both Microsoft and UNIX NOSs.

Embedded Operating Systems

An embedded operating system is one that is built into the circuitry of an elec-tronic device, unlike a PC’s operating system, which resides on a magnetic disk.Embedded operating systems are now found in a wide variety of devices, includ-ing appliances, automobiles, bar-code scanners, cell phones, medical equipment,and personal digital assistants. The most popular embedded operating systems forconsumer products, such as PDAs, include the following:

>> Windows XP Embedded. One of two embedded OSs currently availablefrom Microsoft, Windows XP Embedded is based on the Windows XPProfessional OS, but it is not an off-the-shelf operating system so much asit is a do-it-yourself kit for device manufacturers who wish to pick andchoose the parts of the Windows XP Professional OS their products need.


For more information on

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>> Windows CE .NET. The second Windows embedded product is WindowsCE .NET. Also provided as a kit to manufacturers, it is not based on theWindows desktop products but is the latest version of Windows CE, whichwas designed especially for embedded devices requiring a real-time OS. Al-though a small OS, it supports wireless communications, multimedia, andWeb browsing. It also allows for the use of smaller versions of MicrosoftWord, Excel, and Outlook. Microsoft is positioning a version of WindowsCE for the automotive market, calling it Windows Automotive.

>> Palm OS. Palm OS is the standard operating system for Palm-brand PDAsas well as other proprietary handheld devices (see Figure 7B.10). For severalyears the Palm OS was the more popular option for handheld devices andthere were many manufacturers offering PDAs with the Palm OS. More

recently, only Palm and Sony continue tomake PDAs that run the Palm OS, but theyhave a significant market share and, as a result,users have a large degree of choice in terms ofsoftware that can be used with this embeddedsystem. The Palm OS continues to be used inother systems, such as cell phones and othersmall devices.

294 Chapter 7

FIGURE 7B.10::

Like many other handheld computing

devices, the Palm line of personal digital

assistants uses the Palm OS.

>>

Mark Barry knows that when he picks up a phone line in hisoffice, there’s a good chance that the caller will be edgy,and possibly even on the verge of tears, over the fact thathis or her hardware or software may never work properlyagain. Part-counselor, part-computer technician, Barry asksquestions about the problem itself, positions himself infront of the same application or piece of hardware in hisown office, then helps the caller find a workable solution.

“It’s always great to be able to help someone take care ofa technology problem,” says Barry, president and owner ofConfigured PC in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. “There’s a lot ofpersonal satisfaction in befriending someone, and makingtheir day.” A graduate of Clark University’s Computer CareerInstitute, Barry holds a CompTIA A+ certification. Prior tostarting his own firm, which specializes in technical salesand support, he was a technical trainer for CompUSA.

With the assistance of one technical support professionaland an office manager, Barry has made a career out of help-ing people work through their technology problems. He fillsa gap in the industry where vendor technology support per-sonnel often leave off: being able to communicate well with

customers and walk them through diagnostic and repairsteps via telephone. When he’s not on the phone, Barryhelps walk-in customers, makes house calls, and consultswith clients in need of customized technology solutions.

Barry predicts a healthy demand for IT types who cancommunicate with customers—be they internal customers(those calling to an internal help desk) or outside cus-tomers (such as the ones he works with)—and walk themthrough technical problems with their hardware and soft-ware. Both help desk workers and technical support special-ists share the same goal of helping others use theircomputers, but generally work in different environments:

>> Help desk professionals are usually employed by a com-pany to help its other employees with the computer sys-tems they use at work. Suppose, for example, that youwork for a large retailer and use its specialized ordermanagement or customer relationship management(CRM) software. If you need help using the program, youcan call the company’s internal help desk to ask forassistance.

Help Desk and Technical Support Specialists




>> Pocket PC OS. Pocket PC OS is a specific type of operating system thatMicrosoft developed to use in direct competition with the Palm OS on PDAs.These devices are targeted at the business and corporate market rather thanconsumers. The latest version gives users the ability to securely access datafrom a business network via a handheld device, and it gives system adminis-trators the ability to manage and control a PC or server via a wireless net-work connection.

>> Symbian. Symbian is an OS found in “smart” cell phones from Nokia andSony Ericsson that feature options such as touch screens, games, multimediafunctions, and Internet connectivity. In addition to the conventional cellphone functions, you can play games and view Web pages (in color) with afull browser over a high-speed mobile network.


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ER>> Technical support specialists are usually employed by a

company to help its customers use the products theyhave purchased from the company. If you have ever hadtrouble with a computer program and called the manu-facturer for help, then you probably spoke with a techni-cal support specialist.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computersupport specialists are projected to be among the fastest-growing occupations over the 2000–2010 period, with jobprospects being optimal for college graduates who are up todate with the latest skills and technologies; certificationsand practical experience are essential for persons withoutdegrees. Median annual earnings of computer support spe-cialists were $36,460 in 2000, with the middle 50 percentearning between $27,680 and $48,440.




L E S S O N / / 7B Review

>> Among the strengths of DOS are its small size, reliability, stability, simple command-line interface, and minimal system requirements.

>> Windows NT was originally meant as a replacement for DOS. Microsoft issued two ver-sions of the operating system: Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server.

>> Windows 95 was Microsoft’s first true GUI-based, 32-bit operating system for PCs. Itsupported multitasking and could run older programs that were written for DOS andWindows 3.x.

>> Windows 2000 includes the interface and features of Windows 98, with the file sys-tem, networking, power, and stability of Windows NT. Microsoft released several ver-sions of Windows 2000, each targeting a specific user or computing environment.

>> Windows XP was released in 2001, and it marked the end of Microsoft’s consumer-grade operating systems. This means that all computer users, including casual andhome users, can have an operating system with enhanced security, networking sup-port, and stability.

>> The fact that the Mac OS works only on Macintosh computer hardware has long beenconsidered one of the operating system’s biggest drawbacks, but Mac remains thefirst choice of many publishers, multimedia developers, graphic artists, and schools.

>> UNIX runs on a wide range of computers, including supercomputers, notebook PCs,and everything in between, but it does not have an important place in the marketfor desktop operating systems.

>> Linux is a separate OS from UNIX, but it shows the UNIX influence and characteris-tics. Linux OS code is free, but it is also available through companies such as Novelland Red Hat, who bundle the OS code with utilities and documentation, charging foreverything but the OS itself.

>> Network operating systems are optimized to provide network services—with supportfor multiple processors and support for redundancy. This redundancy support occursboth locally in the form of data redundancy on drives and specialized network re-dundancy such as schemes in which one network server is a “mirror” of anotherserver and is available immediately if the first server fails.

>> Popular Network OSs include Microsoft server products, UNIX, Novell NetWare, andLinux.

>> Embedded operating systems, such as the Palm OS, Symbian OS, and the Microsoftproducts—Windows XP Embedded, Windows CE .NET, and Pocket PC OS—are minia-turized OSs designed to run on small computing devices, such as handheldcomputers.

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Summary ::





Key Terms ::


distributed application, 292 DOS, 285embedded operating system, 293enterprise directory, 292Linux, 289Macintosh operating system

(Mac OS), 289.NET Framework, 292network operating system (NOS), 290Palm OS, 294

Pocket PC OS, 295shell, 289Symbian, 295UNIX, 289Windows, 285Windows 9x, 286Windows 95, 286Windows 98, 287Windows 2000, 288Windows CE .NET, 294

Windows Me, 287Windows NT Server, 291Windows NT, 285Windows NT Workstation 4.0, 286Windows XP, 288Windows XP Embedded, 288Windows XP Home, 288Windows XP Media Center Edition, 288Windows XP Professional, 288

Key Term Quiz ::

Complete each statement by writing one of the terms listed under Key Terms in each blank.

1. was originally designed as the successor to DOS.

2. The term is used when referring to Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me.

3. Microsoft introduced the Active Desktop feature with the operating system.

4. is the latest in the Windows suite of desktop operating system families.

5. The operating system runs only on Macintosh computers.

6. The operating system runs on a wide range of computers, including supercomputers, notebook PCs, andeverything in between.

7. is considered to be a “freeware” operating system.

8. A(n) is an OS that is designed to run on a network server dedicated to providing various services toother computers on the network.

9. A(n) is a specialized database that contains data about the users of a network and the computerresources of the network.

10. A(n) application is a program with parts that run on different computers, distributing the work anddata across the network.





Multiple Choice ::

Circle the word or phrase that best completes each statement.

1. The acronym DOS stands for .

a. b. driver operating system c. disk operating system d.

2. Windows NT was released as a -bit operating system in 1993.

a. 8 b. 16 c. 32 d. 64

3. One reason for the popularity of Windows 95 was its ability to run applications that were developed for thisoperating system.

a. DOS b. UNIX c. Linux d. Mac OS

4. Windows 95 was the first version of Windows to support the standard for connecting new hardware.

a. GUI b. Plug and Play c. Enterprise Directory d. OS

5. Which feature of Windows 98 enables users to integrate Internet resources directly on the Windows desktop?

a. Plug and Play b. Internet Explorer c. START button d. Active Desktop

6. Which version of Windows 2000 was intended for use on desktop computers?

a. Professional b. Server c. Enterprise Edition d. Data Center Server

7. Microsoft has created a 64-bit version of this operating system, for use with AMD’s Opteron and Athlon 64 CPUs.

a. MS-UNIX b. Linux c. Windows XP d. DOS

8. The current version of the Macintosh operating system is called .

a. Max OS System I b. Mac OS System X c. Mac OS System Y d. Mac OS System N

9. How many processors are supported by the Data Center Server edition of Windows Server 2003?

a. 8 b. 16 c. 32 d. 64

10. Which network operating system has long been the OS of choice for the most critical servers of the Internet, suchas those that maintain the lists of Internet domain names?

a. DOS b. UNIX c. Windows NT Professional d. Mac OS

diskless operatingsystem

distributed operatingsystem

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Review Questions ::

In your own words, briefly answer the following questions.

1. Name two versions of DOS that were popular during the 1980s.

2. What is a “clone”?

3. Explain why DOS is still in use.

4. Why didn’t Windows NT replace DOS, as originally planned?

5. How is Windows NT Workstation different from Windows 95?

6. What was the primary use for Windows 2000 Professional?

7. UNIX may be described as being difficult to use. Why?

8. What purpose would a “shell” serve in Linux?

9. Windows Server 2003 supports the .NET Framework. What does this mean?

10. What is the Palm OS?

Lesson Labs ::

Complete the following exercise as directed by your instructor.

1. Use your operating system’s search tools to find files on your computer’s hard disk. Note that the following stepsapply if you are using Windows XP. If you use a different version of Windows or a different operating system thanWindows, ask your instructor for directions.

a. Click Start | Search. The Search Results window opens.

b. Click All files and folders.

c. Click in the All or part of the file name text box, and type *.txt. This tells windows to search for all files with thefilename extension txt.

d. From the Look in drop-down list, select your computer’s hard disk (typically C:).

e. Click Search. Windows conducts the search and displays the results in the right-hand pane of the Search Resultswindow.

f. Repeat the search, specifying *.html, *.doc, and *.gif as your search criteria. When you are finished, close theSearch Results window.





Chapter LabsComplete the following exercises using a computer in your classroom, lab, orhome.

1. Create a file system. Suppose that you work for a soft drink company. Yourmanager has asked you to create a business proposal for a new product—afun, caffeine-free soda for kids under the age of eight. The proposal will beabout 50 pages in length and will include several supporting documents, suchas reports, memos, budgets, customer lists, research on the product’s safety,focus group results, taste tests, and so on. These different documents will becreated in several forms, including word processing documents, spreadsheetfiles, databases, presentations, and so on.

Your first task is to create a file system on your computer’s hard disk whereyou can store and manage all these files. Using a piece of paper, design a set offolders (and subfolders, if needed) to store all the files in a logical manner. Beprepared to share your file system with the class and to discuss the logic be-hind your file system.

2. Get the latest on Windows XP. If you do not have Windows XP yet, chancesare good that you will be using it in the future. Get a jump on the OS by find-ing the latest information about it on the Web.

Visit the following Web sites for more information:

Microsoft Corporation. Visit Microsoft’s main Windows XP page athttp://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/default.asp.

PC Magazine. For a series of articles and reviews about Windows XP, visithttp://www.pcmag.com/winxp.

3. Learn more about Linux. If you are curious about Linux, or want to installLinux on your system, you can find everything you need on the Internet. Visitthe following Web sites for more information on Linux and learn where youcan get a free copy. (Note: Do not download any files from the Internet with-out your instructor’s permission.)

Linux Online. Hosted by Linux.Org, this site provides a comprehensive ar-ray of resources. Visit http://www.linux.org.

The Linux Gazette. An online newsletter for Linux users of all levels canbe found at http://www.linuxgazette.com/.

Linux Planet. For articles, reviews, technical information, and links toLinux resources, visit http://www.linuxplanet.com/.

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CHAPTER SKILLS REVIEW

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Discussion QuestionsAs directed by your instructor, discuss the following questions in class or ingroups.

1. Discuss the benefits of using the object linking and embedding (OLE) capabil-ities of newer operating systems. Can you think of a task where OLE wouldbe helpful? What types of documents can someone create using OLE? Giveexamples.

2. What does multitasking mean to the average computer user?

Research and ReportUsing your own choice of resources (such as the Internet, books, magazines, andnewspaper articles), research and write a short paper discussing one of the fol-lowing topics:

>> The benefits of using a command-line interface rather than a graphical userinterface.

>> The story behind the creation of the Linux operating system.

>> A cost comparison of currently available desktop operating systems.

When you are finished, proofread and print your paper, and give it to yourinstructor.


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CHAPTER SKILLS REVIEW

ETHICAL ISSUES

Many people believe that operating systems have morefeatures and capabilities than they really need. Withthis thought in mind, discuss the following questionsin class:

1. The Windows Update feature has been part of theWindows operating system since the release of Win-dows 98. This tool enables the operating system tonotify the user when updated features are availablefor downloading on the Internet. Some observersthink that future operating systems will be able toupdate themselves automatically without first noti-

fying the user. How do you feel about this possibil-ity? What dangers could it pose to users?

2. Many observers believe that by including so manyfeatures (such as disk defragmenters, file manage-ment tools, and Internet applications) in its oper-ating systems, Microsoft has taken market shareaway from other companies that might develop andsell such tools to Windows users. Do you agree withthis criticism, or do you feel that an operating sys-tem should include such “extras”?

>>

Documents

Survey of PC and Network Operating Systemsmyresource.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/CIS105R2/cis105... · 2007. 8. 23. · >> Describe the role of network operating systems. >> Identify