Part Two
Operating system
It is well known that computers contain both hardware and software
components,
The term hardware refers to all physical components such as the CPU ,
Input and output devices
The software is the collection of commands or instructions that makes the
computer work
Software can be divided into two main types
1-Operating system software
2-Application software
The operating system is a special type of software program loaded
automatically, in memory, each time we start the computer and allows us to
use all features of its hardware components without having to learn the
technical details of how it works
Application software is the type of program that we can use once the
operating system has been loaded. Examples include Microsoft office
applications and any user program written by any computer language.
One can think of an operating system OS as the intermediary
between the application software and the hardware. It contains large
libraries of machine code responsible for interfacing with every sub-system
in the computer. For example the code for hard disk read and write
operations, writing information on the monitor, interfacing with the
keyboard, and much more are all included in the operating system
To understand that if the application software needs to draw
something on the screen the program itself is not concerned with the actual
details of drawing on the screen and instead it makes calls to the operating
system's API or Application Program Interface which in turn executes the
necessary machine code instructions to do the job.
Types of Operating system
In 1981 Personal Computer was firstly supplied with an operating
system called DOS (Disk Operating System).Loading such operating system
causes the appearance of what is called DOS prompt on the screen( as C:\>)
and waiting for the user to enter his commands through the keyboard as
shown in figure.
C:\>
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In this type of operating system the user must know all types of
commands including the functions of their keys and parameters, if not a
massage of error may appear and nothing done.
In the mid-1980's Microsoft introduced a new operating system
called Windows , more powerful than DOS and far easier to use, it had a
Graphical User Interface (GUI) based on displaying windows and drop
down menus on what is called desktop, enabling the user to drive the
computer by pointing and clicking a mouse.
Since then, Windows has gone on to become the most dominant operating
system for Personal Computers with many versions that make use of the
developed technology.
Until October 2001, there were many versions such as Windows 95,
98, Millennium, NT and Windows2000.
In 2002 a most powerful version of windows operating system is
developed named Windows XP. It has slightly different look than earlier
versions, but it maintains the conventions of its various predecessors. Now
we are working with other modern versions of windows operating system
such as windows 7 or windows 8.
The major benefit of the windows environment is the ability of
multitasking that is to run several application programs at a time, such as,
running a Excel in one window , working with a Word in second window ,
searching something in the internet in a third window ,and so on.(as shown
in figure)
Starting with windows
To start working with the windows
Turn on the computer and wait for automatically loading the
windows operating system into memory.
Write the password if necessary and note that it doesn’t appear on
the screen for security, and in new windows multiple users can work
each with his own password
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After loading windows, the main screen windows (in case of
Windows XP) will appear as shown in figure.
The main screen window contains Desktop which cover the all the
screen area with some important Icons that represent symbols or logos for
files, folders, and programs (such as My computer, Recycle Bin), and in
the bottom of the desktop, as the default place, a Taskbar is present.
The Taskbar contains an important Start button in the left side and clock
symbol in the right side, some program icons (such as quick lunch) beside
the names for any opened windows (files, folders, and programs).
Clicking the Start button a pop up Start menu will appear
containing two columns by default in windows XP as shown in figure and
the shut down region at the bottom.
The left column contains three sections the two upper sections are
variables where the top section generated by the user himself for his favorite
programs, simply by dragging their icons and dropping them on the start
button, while the next section is generated by the Operating System for the
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most frequently used programs and the third section in that column contains
the fixed choice All programs. The right column contains fixed menu list in
three sections also but some of the list components vary depending on the
windows version.
Some of its list are the My Documents contains recent documents;
My Picture contains the users picture collections; My Music for users
music collections; Control Panel contains icons for all the contents of the
computer and possibility for Add or remove program; Help to give the user
some assistance topics; Search for files or programs automatically; and
Run to execute programs through their complete path given by the user.
Pointing the All programs a list of all available programs will
appear in sub menu as shown in figure the contents of such menu vary by
adding and removing application programs.
In the shut down region one of two selections can be done, Turn off
Computer or Log off. Clicking turn off computer a window will appear as
shown in figure with three options:
Turn off: To turn off the computer, or
Restart: To reload the operating system, in case of problems, or
Stand by To turn off the computer but with lower power consumption to be
ready for re-operate with any touch on the keyboard.
Clicking Log off the following window appears with two selections:
Switch User: To terminate the work with the current user and leave the
computer available for others Log off: To turn off the computer or restore
General notes on the start list:
1- One can select from the lists by clicking the mouse or by using arrow
keys and press enter
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2 - The classical start menu shown in figure can be activated by right
clicking the start button and select properties then select classical start
menu from the start menu tab and then click OK
Working with windows operating system
It was mentioned before that the windows operating system has a
Graphical User Interface (GUI).The operating system displays some
assistance objects enabling the user to drive the computer by pointing and
clicking a mouse these assistance objects can be classified into the following
four categories:
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1-Pull-down/pop- up menus
Pull-down menu appears by Left Clicking a say the down arrow in
icons in a given Tab such as Table in word processor as shown in figurer
Clicking by the mouse we can select and activate any content of
these menus
Note: Pop-up menu may appear instead of pull-down menu as in case of
start menu or as in case of short menus as will be seen next
2-Short menus
Short menus appear by Right Clicking by the mouse any where, the
contents of such menus display the necessary and available choices
depending on the place where the user wear clicked. Here some different
short menus where the right by right clicking on task bar and the right when
right clicking on the desktop.
3-Message Boxes
The operating system displays messages boxes for the user such as
Error messages, or Warring messages to correct or confirm his action
respectively see the following figures
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4-Dialog Boxes
It happens frequently that a dialog box appears with many options
when the user selects a choice. Normally a dialog box contains some control
elements the user must know how to work with it. These control elements
can be classified into four groups as follows:
A-Buttons: Two types of button may appear:
Push button: Which can be activated or deactivated by left clicking
the mouse, and
Option buttons: It is a small circle with a black dot if activated, and
only one button can be activated in a same group
B- Scroll Bars: Two types of Scroll Bars may appear:
Vertical scroll bar: To scroll the content of a window or sub window
vertically
Horizontal scroll bar: To scroll the content of a window or
sub window horizontal
C-Boxes: Three types of Boxes may appear:
Text box: To enter a text such as a file name
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List box: To select a name from a list or even enter a name doesn't
included in the list
Check box: It is a small box may contain a () symbol when it is
activated, and it must be noted that unlike the option button one
can activate more than one check box in the same group (even all)
D-Tabs: A dialog box can contain more than one Tab (or page) each
containing its name and options see the following figure
Finally it must be noted that the user must response to the opened
dialog box to make it disappear and to continue his work.
Running Programs
The Location for any installed program is, of course, in a permanent
storage such as hard disk, or optical CD ROM etc...
The programs often exist in special subfolders within the disk and
the most commonly used application programs put a shortcut automatically,
or by the user himself, in one of the famous locations such as Desktop,
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Taskbar, Start menu list, and All Programs list. These locations facilitate the
execution of programs and make them available to the user.
There are many different procedures for running programs
depending on their locations:
1- Running from the desktop: A program on the desktop can be executed
simply by double clicking the mouse on its icon
2- Running from the Taskbar: A program in the Taskbar can be executed
by left click on its icon (as in case of Quick Lunch)
3- Running from the Start menu list:
Clicking on the Start button in the taskbar a pop–up menu will
appear it may contains shortcuts of some programs such programs can be
executed by left click on its icon.
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4- Running from the All Programs list:
Clicking on the Start button in the taskbar a pop–up menu will
appear containing several choices, point the All programs choice a list
contains all available programs will appear in sub menu, select the program
you wish to run and left click on its name.
5- Running from the My computer
To run a program from the My Computer we do the following steps:
A- Click on the start button and then My Computer a window contains all
existing computer disks will appear
B- Double click on the required disk icon, a window contains its contents
will appear.
C- Double click on the folder icon where the program is located click on its
icon when it appears
6- Running through a special document icon:
A program can be executed by double clicking its document icon
previously created anywhere by that program. The program automatically
selected according the specific extension of that document
7- Running through the My Documents list: My Documents and My
Recent Documents are two default folders for the saved and recent
created or modified files respectively (these folders are continuously
updated) .To run a program from these folders click the Start button
then click the My Documents or My Recent Documents a list of these
documents will appear, left click the name of document you wish to run
its corresponding program.
8- Running through Shortcuts
Shortcut of a program may be anywhere and a double click on the
Shortcut icon will run that program.
9- Running through the Run dialog box
To run a program through the Run dialog box one must know its real
path on the disk and do the following steps.
a- Click on the Start button in the taskbar and then click run in the pop–up
menu, the run dialog box will appear as shown in figure to the left.
b- Write on the keyboard the complete path of the program you wish to
run in the text box named open or click the Browse button to search for
that path then click ok. As example the path for the calculator program
is: C:\Document and setting\All Users\Start
Menu\programs\accessories\ calculator
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10- Running through windows Explorer:
One can run a program using a very powerful utility program named
windows explorer .To use the explorer right click the start button and then
click Explore (or Explore All Users) from the pop-up menu as shown in
the above right figure, the explorer window will be displayed, search for the
program path you wish to run in the left side window of the explorer and
when the program icon appear in the right side window double click on it to
run
11- Running through the search tool:
All the previous running methods depend on the user prior knowledge
of the program location but if he doesn't know he can make the computer
itself search for him the path of that program automatically to saving time
and effort. To do that use of search window that can be accessed as follows:
a- Click the Start button and then click Search from the pop-up menu
b- Click the choice All files and Folders a window of Search results
will displayed as shown in figure .As it is evident from this window
search methods includes search by the name and location (and even
by the contents in case of searching text files)
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C-Write the name of the program in the text box entitled All or part
of the file name and select the location you want the search process
includes from the text box entitled Look in and then click the
search button to start the process. The searching result will
displayed containing the icon and the path of that program if it does
exist and simply it can be run by double clicking on its icon in that
window
An advanced search can be also done depending on the date of
modification and/or on its size and even more.
Controlling open windows
Any open window occupies a specific area on the desktop and
displays its contents inside, in some cases many windows may be opened at
the same time catching parts of each others and the user needs to control the
position, size, methods of displaying contents, and arrange icons for those
windows.
i- Control a single opened window:
Controlling a single window covering:
a- Size control: Maximize or minimize the window using the box
(maximize and restore down) in the window title bar.
Clicking this box once the window fills the screen and clicking again
restore down the area to its initial size. Manual adjusting for the size can be
done by pointing any side or any corner of the window and dragging the
mouse when its shape converted to double side flesh. Dragging any point in
the window title bar move the inter window.
b- Controlling the displaying contents: pull down the View menu, a
set of options for displaying will appear as follows:
1-Thumbnails demonstrate the contents with great icons inside frames.
2- Tiles, demonstrate the contents with large icons
3-Icons demonstrate the contents with small icons.
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4-List, demonstrate the contents in a list of small icons.
5-Details, demonstrate the contents in a list of small icons with some details
on size, type and date and time modified.
C- Arrange icons in a window can be achieved by pull down the View
menu; then clicking arrange 4icon by, a list of different arrangement
methods will be displayed.
1-Arrange by Name: Where an alphabetical arrangement can be done.
2- Arrange by Size (storage areas): Where the icons can be arranged in
descending order according to size
3-Arrange by Type: Where the icons can be arranged by type starting
with folders then files according to their extension.
4- Modified arrangement: where the icons can be arranged by date of
the modification starting with the recent one and finishing by the
oldest
5-Show in Groups: where the icons can be arranged according to the
time period (the last week-months-years - two years - more than two
years)
6-Auto Arrange: is the arrangement by computer, but works in the case
of large or small icons only in this case; the user cannot change the
position of any icon
7-Align to Grid: where the icons can be arranged according to a virtual
frame only if it was scattered
ii- Control several opened windows
To control several opened windows right click the mouse in free
location within the taskbar a short menu will appear containing different
arranging methods left click one of the following choices:
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1- Cascade Windows to arrange the opened windows behind each
others with the active one in front of them as shown in figure
2-Tile Windows horizontally to arrange the opened windows side by side
horizontally as shown in figure
3- Tile Windows vertically to arrange the opened windows side by side
vertically as shown in figure
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4-Show the Desktop to minimize temporally all opened windows and show
the Desktop keeping the names of these windows in the task bar as
shown in figure
5-Undo… The Undo choice is appear in the short menu after any selection
to disable it and return to the previous one
Files and folders management:
Files are the stored data and information created by various
application programs. The folders are some sort of combining and
coordination for group of files related to each other in order to facilitate the
user to deal with. Folders may contain subfolders for more coordination to
speed the access to any objectives. Files differ between each other in
extension depending on the nature of stored data; it can be text files, audio
files (wave files), pictures, Bitmap Image, Data base files, maps or Work
sheet, Presentation files, Graphics, and video files etc….
Before introducing how to manage files and folders let us show how it can
be created.
Creating Files and folders
There are many ways to create files; we introduce here two main
methods:
a- By application programs: The saved data of any running application
program leads to file creation. Each application program adds its own
extension to the file name automatically. As examples, Txt for Notepad
program, Doc for Microsoft word, Xls for Microsoft Excel, Bmp for
paint program, etc. The default files destination of application programs
is the My Document folder and it may be changed by the user.
b – By the user: User can create files himself under Windows as follows.
First: Access to the location where you want to create the file via
My computer or explorer and right-click the mouse in a free location to pop-
up the short menu.
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Second: Click on the New selection on the short menu or pull down
the file menu and click New .In both cases a sub menu will appear as
shown in figure containing various choices for file and folder creation.
Third: Select the type of file you want to create (say word
document), an icon with a default name will be created where its name can
be modified or renamed by the user. Double click on that icon to run of the
suitable program and to introduce data in.
Notes: To enter Arabic name Press Alt and Shift keys at the same time to
toggle the language from English to Arabic and vies versa.
To create a Folder right-click the mouse in a free location and point
the selection NEW then click Folder and write the name you want instead
the default name (New Folder).
Methods of file and folder managements
We mean by file and folder managements the implementation of one
the following six editing actions (Copy, Cut or move, Paste, Create a
Shortcut, Rename, and Delete)
The implementation of these actions needs two main steps:
First step: Display and select the object(s) to be managed such as file(s) or
folder(s) or even a combination of them.
Second step: Use one of following five methods to do the required Editing
action
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1-Menue bar (File and Edit menus)
2- Standard toolbar
3- Keyboard
4- Short menu (by right click)
5 - Mouse dragging and drop (Left or right dragging)
Note: Some of the previous methods are applicable for all editing actions
while some others fit for only some of them.
The six previous actions can be implemented for a single object (file
or folder) or for a group of them simultaneously and we start by illustrating
different methods of objects selection:
1- Select one object: To select one object simply left click the mouse on its
icon the selected icon will be highlighted.
2- Select more than one object: To select nonadjacent objects left click the
mouse on their icons while pressing the Ctrl key. In case of adjacent
icons click the first icon and press the shift key then click the last icon
( the last icon may be in the same or in different column or row). One can
use also the arrow keys with the shift key for the Contiguous icons.
3- Select all object in a window: To select all objects in a window click
Edit from the menu bar then click Select All from the pull down list, or
click the CTRL +A keys from the key board.
Methods of file and folder managements
It was mentioned before that after displaying and selecting the
object(s) to be managed one has to choose one of five methods to be applied
for a given action:
1-Through menu bar: click the File on the menu bar a list of choices will
pull down contains the next three actions:
a-Create Shortcut b-Delete c-Rename
While clicking on Edit in the menu bar a list of choices will pull down
contains the next three choices:
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a- Cut b-Copy c-Paste
So using this method all six actions can be done.
2- Through standard toolbar: In the standard toolbar(or Home Tab in
case of Office 2007) only three icons are exist for the next actions as
shown in figure:
a- Copy b- Cut c-Paste
3- Through keyboard: four actions can be done through the key board by
Pressing one or two keys simultaneously:
Pressing Ctrl + C for copy
Pressing Ctrl + X for cut (or move)
Pressing Ctrl + V for paste
Pressing Del for delete
4- Through short menu: Rights clicking on the object(s) a short menu
containing five actions as shown in figure
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5- By mouse dragging and drop: Mouse dragging and drop causes the
implementation of two actions as follows:
Left dragging and drop the object(s) causes cut (or move)
Left dragging and drop the object(s) while pressing the Ctrl key causes
copy (note that a plus sign (+) will be associated with the mouse shape
Right Dragging and drop the object(s) display a short menu, in
the new location, containing the three following action as shown in figure to
select one of them:
(a)-Copy here (b)-Move here (c)-Create shortcut here
Having studied how to select the object(s) and the method to be used
here we show now how to do the different actions for file or folder
management:
1- Copy or move file(s) or folder(s): select the file(s) or folder(s) to be
copied (or moved) using any selection method then do one of the
following procedures:
(a) Pull down the Edit menu and select copy (or cut for move) and in the
new location window Pull down the Edit menu and select Paste or,
(b) Click the copy icon (cut icon for move) in the standard tool bar and in
the new location window Click the paste icon or,
(c) Press the Ctrl +c keys (Ctrl +x for move) then in the new location
window Press the Ctrl +v for paste
(d) Right click the mouse and select copy( cut for move) then in the new
location window Right click the mouse again and select paste
(e) Left drag the mouse with pressing the Ctrl key for copy(without
pressing Ctrl for move) and drop in the new location window or right
drag the mouse to the new location window a short menu will appear
select copy here(or move here to cut).
During copying process the next copying box will appear to show the
progress of the copy action
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Note: The copy and cut actions store all copied or cut object(s) temporally
in what is called Clip Board in order to be paste in the new location(s). The
contents of Clip Board up to 24 items are preserved.
2- Create shortcut for file or folder: A shortcut of an object contains the
complete path of that object instead of occupying its real size as in case
of creating a copy or cut to save disk memory.
To create a shortcut for a file (folder or program) drag its icon, by
the right button, to the new location and select create shortcut here from
the short menu, or pull down the File menu and select create shortcut
3- Rename of files or folders: To rename an object right click its icon and
then select rename from the short menu, or select its icon and pull down
the file menu and select rename then write the new name you want.
4- Delete file(s) and folder(s): To delete an object select it and simply press
Del from the keyboard or select delete from the File pull down menu or
even from the short menu by right clicking its icon. A warning dialog
box normally appear before the delete process taken place asking the user
to confirm the deletion of the object(s)and remove it to the Recycle Bin
as shown in figure.
Object also can be deleted by dragging it to the Recycle Bin.
Note: One can delete an object without passing by the Recycle Bin by
pressing the Shift key with Delete simultaneously
What is the nature of the Recycle Bin?
It is a temporally folder for all deleted objects to make the user
capable to restore/ delete some or all objects
To restore deleted files and folders: double click on the Recycle Bin
on the desktop its window will appear As shown in figure, select the object
you want to restore and pull down the File menu and select Restore
The user can remove all the contents of the Recycle Bin by selecting
Empty recycle Bin from the pull down File menu.
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