FOR 201

MICROCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS

Operating Systems &

File Management
 Lecture Content

• Operating System

• Today’s Operating Systems

• File Basics

• File Management

• Application Software

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Operating Systems
 Operating System
• A software that acts as the master controller for all
activities that take place within a computer system

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Operating System Activities

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 User Interfaces
• The combination of hardware and software that
helps people and computers communicate with
each other

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 User Interfaces
Menus, submenus, and dialog boxes

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 The Boot Process
• During the boot process, the
operating system is loaded into
RAM
• Your computer’s small
bootstrap program is built into
special ROM circuitry housed in
the computer’s system unit
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 Today’s Operating Systems
• Microsoft Windows
• Mac OS
• UNIX and Linux
• Chrome
• DOS
• Handheld Operating Systems

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Microsoft Windows

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 Mac OS

Mac OS X interface includes all the standard

elements of a User Interface (GUI), including
icons, menus, windows, and taskbars. 11
 UNIX and Linux
• Several Web sites offer a Linux distribution, which
is a package that contains the Linux kernel, system
utilities and applications (i.e., UBUNTU)

Several graphical
interfaces can be
chosen.
Here is KDE graphical
desktop. 12
 DOS
• Disk Operating System
• First operating system

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Handheld Operating Systems

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 File and
File Basics
Files Management
 File
• Can be considered as the evolution of the paper
documents
• Paper documents are kept in files, stored in folders
• COLLECTION OF RELATED INFORMATION

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 Directories and Folders
• A way of organizing files and other directories

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 File Names and Extensions
• You must adhere to file-naming
conventions when saving files
– Maximum length
– Prohibited characters
– No reserved words
– Case sensitivity
• File extensions are usually
related to the file format
– Native file format

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 File Directories and Folders
• An operating system maintains a directory for each
disk, tape, CD, DVD, or USB flash drive
– Root directory
– Subdirectory
• Depicted as folders
• A computer’s file location is defined by a file
specification, or path
d:\coUrsEs\FoR201\Beethoven - Symphony No5 1 Mov.mp3

d:\courses\FOR201\for201.jpg

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 File Formats
• A particular way to encode information stored in a
computer file.

Paint
(Windows XP)

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File Formats
To convert a file
from one format to
another open it with
an application that
supports both
formats (i.e., Paint).
Then use the Save
As dialog box to
select an alternative
file format. 21
 File Management Metaphors
• Storage metaphors help you visualize and mentally
organize the files on your disks
– Logical storage models

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 Application-based File Management
• Applications typically provide a way to open files
and save them in a specific folder on a storage
device (such as Word or Excel)

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 Application-based File Management
The Save As
dialog box not
only helps you
name a file and
designate its
destination,
but ..

allows you to rename files, delete files, create

folders, and rename folders. 24
 File Management Utilities
File management
utilities show you
the files stored on
your disks
Ex. Windows Explorer

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Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer makes it

easy to drill down through
the levels of the directory
hierarchy to locate a folder
or file.

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 Windows Explorer
• Windows Explorer allows you to manipulate files
and folders in the following ways:
– Rename
– Copy
– Move
– Delete

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 File Management Tips
• Use descriptive names
• Assign short names to files or directories
• Maintain file extensions
• Group similar files
• Organize your folders from the top down
• Do not mix data files and program files

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