A-level Computing 2009/AQA/Problem Solving, Programming, Operating Systems, Databases and Networking/Operating Systems

Understand that the role of the operating system is to hide the complexities of the hardware from the user. In addition, it manages the hardware resources in order to provide for an orderly and controlled allocation of the processors, memories and I/O devices among the various processes competing for them.
 * Role of an Operating System
 * Provision of a virtual machine
 * Resource management


 * /Role of the operating system/
 * /Provision of a virtual machine/
 * /Resource management/

Define interactive, real time and network operating systems and explain their operational characteristics.
 * Interactive
 * Real time
 * Network
 * Device
 * Embedded
 * Desktop
 * Server

Compare and contrast device operating systems (smartphone, PDA), embedded operating systems (car, aircraft), desktop operating systems, server operating systems.


 * /Operating system classifications/