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SOFTWARE LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to do the following:
INTRODUCTION Up to now we have been discussing computer OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS and HARDWARE (the computer and its peripheral devices), and how these devices work and communicate with each other. What about this thing called SOFTWARE? Do we really need it? We most certainly do! Software plays a major role in computer data processing. For example, without software, the computer could not perform simple addition. It's the software that makes everything happen. Or putting it another way, software brings the computer to life. You already know it takes a program to make the computer function. You load an operating system into the computer to manage the computer's resources and operations. You give job information to the operating system to tell it what you want the computer to do. You may tell it to assemble or compile a COBOL program. You may tell it to run the payroll or print inventory reports. You may tell it to copy a tape using a utility program. You may tell it to print the data from a disk file, also using a utility program. You may tell it to test a program. This job information may be entered through the console or read into the computer from tape or disk. It also may be entered by the programmer or user from a remote computer terminal. The operating system receives and processes the job information and executes the programs according to that job information. Software can be defined as all the stored programs and routines (operating aids) needed to fully use the capabilities of a computer. Generally speaking, we say, "If it is not hardware then it must be software." OPERATING SYSTEMS The operating system is the heart of any computer system. Through it, everything else is done. Basically, operating systems are designed to provide the operator with the most efficient way of executing many user programs. An operating system is a collection of many programs used by the computer to manage its own resources and operations. These programs control the execution of other programs. They schedule, assign resources, monitor, and control the work of the computer. There are several types. TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS Operating systems are designed to provide various operating modes. Some systems can only do one task at a time, while others can perform several at a time. Some systems allow only one person to use the system, and others allow multiple users. Single user/single tasking operating systems are the simplest and most common on microcomputers. CP/M-801, CP/M-861, and MS-DOS(1,2)2 are examples. Single user/multitasking operating systems allow you to do more than one task as long as the tasks don't use the same type of resources. For example, you can print one job while you run another, as long as the second job does not require the printer. Examples are Concurrent CP/M-863, Concurrent DOS3, and MS-DOS (3.0 and above). Multiuser/multitasking operating systems let more than one user access the same resources at the same time. This is especially useful for sharing common data. These are only feasible on processors (the functional unit in a computer that interprets and executes instructions) of 16 bits or more and with large memories. UNIX4 is an example. There are also multiprocessor systems, shared resource systems. This means each user (or operator) has a dedicated microprocessor (cpu), which shares common resources (disks, printers, etc.). 1 CP/M and CP/M-86 are registered trademarks of Digital Research Inc.2 MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.3 Concurrent CP/M and Concurrent DOS are trademarks of Digital Research Inc.4 UNIX is a trademark of AT & T.COMPATIBILITY WITH APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE To use an applications program, it must be compatible with the operating system. Therefore, the availability of application software for a particular operating system is critical. Because of this, several operating systems have become the most popular. For 8-bit microcomputers, CP/M (Control Program for Microprocessors) is widely used because many hardware manufacturers have adopted it. MS-DOS (MicroSoft Disk Operating System) designed from CP/M dominates in lower performance 16-bit systems. UNIX, an operating system for larger computers, is being used on the more powerful 16-bit and 32-bit microcomputers. Other operating systems are offered by microcomputer manufacturers. To overcome the applications software compatibility problem, some software comes in several versions so it can be run under several different operating systems. The point to remember is that not all applications software will run on all systems. You have to check to see that compatibility exists. You need the right version. OPERATING SYSTEM FUNCTIONS To give you a better idea of what you can expect to see on your microcomputer display screen, we will show a few fundamental disk operating system commands and messages. Again, the functions of each operating system are about the same, but each may use a different command to do about the same thing. For example, try not to get confused because CP/M uses the command PIP (peripheral interchange program) to copy a file, while MS-DOS uses the command COPY. Remember, the first thing you need to do is boot (initial program load) the system. There are many ways this can be done. Here is an example. When you turn on the power, a prompt may appear on the screen. You then insert the operating system floppy disk into the drive A. Type a B (for boot) and press the RETURN key. The operating system will load from the disk. If you are using a system set up for automatic booting, you won't have to type the B. The system automatically loads the operating system when you insert the disk that contains it. Some systems will then ask for date and time. Enter these. You will next see a prompt, usually A> (or A:). The system is ready and drive A is assigned as your primary drive. One thing you might want to do is to display the disk directory to see what is on the disk. To do this, enter DIR following the A>. This will list your files.
It may also give you file size and the date and time of the file. Let's take an example. Let's say you are to copy the file "MASTER.DOC" from the floppy disk in drive A to the floppy disk in drive B and then delete the file on the floppy disk in drive A. You have just displayed the directory of the floppy disk in drive A. Check to see that the file you want is on the floppy disk in drive A. It is. You then insert the floppy disk on which you want the copy into drive B. Be sure it is formatted with the track and sector information so it is ready to receive data. Also, be sure the disk is not write-protected. On a 5-1/4 inch floppy disk that means the write protect notch is uncovered. Following the A> type COPY MASTER.DOC B: and press RETURN. The system will copy the file and give it the same name. Next you might want to display the directory on drive B to see that the file was copied. You can do this by entering DIR B: following the A> prompt. To delete the file on the floppy disk in drive A, type DEL MASTER.DOC following the A> prompt on the screen and press RETURN. You probably noticed each entry in the directory is followed by three characters. These are called extensions, and we use them to tell us the type of file we are working with. For example, .BAK means backup file. Other typical built-in operating system commands you can use might include:
You will learn to use these and many other system commands as you operate a specific computer. We won't go into any more detail here. You will have documentation and reference manuals for the specific version of the operating system you will be using. Q.1 What is the heart of any computer system? |
 
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