Computer ScienceCode 9618
Purposes of an Operating System (OS)
What this topic asks you to be able to do
- Demonstrate an understanding of the way an OS can make the most of available resources
- Describe how the user interface conceals the intricacies of the hardware from the person using it
- Show that you understand process management
- Demonstrate an understanding of multi-tasking and of what a process is
- Demonstrate an understanding of the states a process may occupy, namely running, ready and blocked
- Demonstrate an understanding of why scheduling is needed, and of the function and benefits of the various scheduling routines (including first come first served, round robin, shortest remaining time, shortest job first)
- Demonstrate an understanding of the OS kernel's role as an interrupt handler, as well as how low-level scheduling is managed through interrupt handling
- Demonstrate an understanding of how memory is managed using segmentation, paging and virtual memory
- Demonstrate an understanding of the ideas behind paging, virtual memory and segmentation
- Demonstrate an understanding of how paging differs from segmentation
- Demonstrate an understanding of the means by which pages may be replaced
- Demonstrate an understanding of the conditions that lead to disk thrashing