- Tell system software from application software
- List the main jobs of an operating system
- Read a file name, its extension and its path
Even a computer with the most powerful processor and the biggest disk is just a metal box without programs. What brings it to life and tells it what to do is software. And the first thing you see on the screen after switching the computer on is the operating system.
Kinds of software
All the programs that run on a computer, together with the data they use.
| Type | What it does | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| System software | keeps the computer itself running | operating system, device drivers, utilities (antivirus, archiver) |
| Application software | does the user's specific tasks | web browser, word processor, graphics editor, games |
| Programming tools | help people create new programs | Python, code editors, compilers |
The operating system
The main set of programs that manages all of a computer's devices and programs and connects the user with the computer.
The operating system loads as soon as the computer is switched on and runs until it is shut down. Its main jobs are:
- starting programs and sharing processor time between them;
- dividing RAM between programs;
- saving, finding and deleting files on the disk;
- controlling devices such as the printer, keyboard and camera;
- providing the user interface: windows, icons and menus;
- protecting the computer with user accounts and passwords.
On desktop and laptop computers the most common operating systems are Windows, macOS and Linux; on smartphones and tablets they are Android and iOS.
Files and folders
A named collection of data stored on a storage device: a text, a picture, a song, a program and so on.
A file name has two parts: the name itself and the extension after the dot. In essay.docx, essay is the name and docx is the extension. The extension shows the type of the file, and the operating system uses it to decide which program should open the file.
| Extension | File type | Opened with |
|---|---|---|
.txt | plain text | any text editor |
.docx | word-processor document | Microsoft Word |
.jpg, .png | image | photo viewer, graphics editor |
.mp3 | audio | audio player |
.mp4 | video | video player |
.pdf | print-ready document | PDF reader, web browser |
.zip | archive (compressed files) | archiver |
.exe | Windows program | runs by itself |
Files are kept in folders, and folders can contain other folders. This creates a tree structure: at the top is the root folder of the disk, and subfolders branch out from it. The address of a file in this tree is called its path.
A file has this path: C:\Users\Aysel\Documents\School\math.docx. Which disk is it on, which folder is it directly in, and what are its name and extension?
Show solutionHide solution
C: is the disk.Users → Aysel → Documents → School are nested folders; the file is directly inside School.math is the file name and docx is the extension (a Word document).Windows separates folders with
\, while Linux and macOS use /. On Linux a similar path could look like /home/aysel/School/math.docx.When you work with files and folders in Windows, these keyboard shortcuts save time:
Key points
- Software is divided into system software, application software and programming tools.
- The operating system manages programs, memory, files and devices.
- A file name consists of a name and an extension; the extension shows the file type.
- Folders form a tree, and a file's path is its address in that tree.
- The real extension comes after the last dot — never open unknown
.exefiles.
Check yourself
10 questions. Every correct answer earns XP.