M1 – Comparing operating systems

For this i will be comparing two very different operating systems: Window 8 and OS X Mountain lion. This is because they are both new operating systems and as one is for macs and one is for PCs they should have some good comparisons.

Security:
This is a big part of the OS as it is needed on every computer/mac however apple have been known in the past to leave this out. Because of this they have included more security in this latest update. An advantage of this is its anti-malware functions and ways to back-up your data easily. Like Window 8 it also supports a cryptographic encryption on the disk to protect you files which gives it added protection as well. However they also included a feature that could cause it to be more vulnerable. As they included some of their security as the 'Gatekeeper app' people are able to purchase digital certificates for it making it more vulnerable.
Windows however includes its free windows defender, which has been called one of the best free security systems around, as well as newer security features like the cryptographic encryption on disks. They have also included the 'secure boot' feature that works against malware threats during boot time and have improved their other features. This makes Windows 8 a better choice for security but OS  X is not far behind.

Ease of use:
Apple has been improving its capablilities for years with each new updated OS and have continued this tradition with Mountain lion. They have included a new notification centre and spotlight tool as well as other helper facilities. This means that the user can find and use the difference helper functions as they need while keeping it looking sophisticated. This also helps because users don't need to learn everything all a once, instead they can just find the next helper tool when they need it and not do get overloaded by new information.
However they have also created some flaws, the gatekeeper app talked about above will only let you download apps from the apple app store. This works well when you want to stop malware from getting through, but when you want an app that isn't in the apple store the process is long and hard for novice users. Which can lead to the security system to being turned off. This can make it a pointless app to have and creates more security threats. They have also change their application file service, this means that there are now three different service just for apps: version-enabled apps, i-cloud documents-compatible apps and traditional apps. This coupled with the removal of the save-as feature means saving and finding files has become much more confusing.

Windows 8 has the same sort of problem, they have included many good features but in the process created some bad ones. They have improved on windows 7 a lot and have created an new and elegant looking tile screen. It works well with the different apps most people have like facebook and email and anything you can't find on the tile screen can be found just as easily. However because this OS is best suited for Phones and tablets it has some short comings when it comes to PC use. Because it is mainly for tablets they have included the windows 7 desktop behind the tile feature in order to make some programs work. It is also harder to use due to its touch screen capabilities, it is set up for swipe motions and doing this with a mouse can become awkward for some features. They have sorted some of these through the Windows desktop feature but it is like dealing with two different computers. Sometimes you may have to switch between screens to do what you want and this can be tedious. Simply put Windows 8 is great for tablets but has problems with PC use just like Window 7 is great for PCs and shocking for Tablet use. Because of this, although they both have problems, Mac OS X Mountain Lion wins out.

Compatability:
Windows wins out for this simply because it works on just about everything. It has a tile feature that works on phones and tablets as well as the Windows 7 feature for any extra PC. It is also compatable with all software, hardware and services modern computers have and the only reason some older computers can't run it is due to proccessing power not software.
Mountain Lion of course only works on Apple products so its hardware and software capabilities are lower. However as Apple have come out with Macs, Ipods and Iphones it still has high usage and is not far behind Windows. You have to remember that all day to day hardware (mouse, keybaord, speakers) work on both products normally so there isn't as much difference in compatability.

Value:
This is a big part of decision making because the sheer difference in prices. Apple only costs £20 for an upgrade whilst Windows 8 cost £100 just for the normal version. If you want the pro version it goes up to £190. £80 is a big difference in cost for just an operating system especially when you're not even getting the full package. This coupled with apples ease of use being higher makes Mountain Lion the better choice.

In conclusion i believe both have their flaws but are good opperating systems. However all in all, due to is lower cost, OS X mountain Lion wins out overall. Both have good features, and mac lost out on security, but Windows is built mainly for Tablets. Because of this its PC functions aren't as good. But in the end it all depends on what you buy, if you buy a mac then you should get Mountain Lion, if you get a PC then Windows 8 is a good choice.

P3 + D1 - Software Utilities

Software utilities include: Security, Disk clean-up and Defragmentation. These utilities help your computer run at its optimal speed and keep it working properly.

Security: An example of security is AVG anti-virus and firewall. An anti-virus keeps your computer working as it protects it against viruses and Trojans that will infect and disrupt your computers programs. Viruses work by getting inside a certain file in your computer, usually through an email, then multiplying themselves. This causes you’re computer to slow down dramatically and the only way to speed it back up is through an anti-virus scan that will sweep your computer then get rid of any viruses it finds. Trojans work the same way but have can be programed to fulfil specific tasks. This means it can hide inside a file in your computer then use it do transfer personal information back to whoever created it for uses like identity theft.

You can also stop them before they reach your computer through file walls. These are security programs built to block out any invading programs that could compromise your computer.

How can this improve the performance of computer systems?
This will improve your computers performance because it stop viruses getting into your computer. This will mean that less processing power is taken up on the viruses and can be used on the work you are doing. This will speed up your computer a lot compared to if you didn't have security on your computer.

When looking for good anti-virus software i recommend you research how good it is and what is included in it. An example when you need to look at how good the software is is Norton. Although this comes free with most computers it doesn't work very well and viruses will continue to infect you PC. You also don't always need to look at the price, if you want the best functioning anti-virus then you should buy it but for casual use you can get free anti-viruses that work just as well. This includes free software like AVG which comes with the features you need as well as a firewall.

Disk Clean-up: Disk clean-up speeds up your computer because it allows you to delete any unused files/programs on your computer. It works by scanning your computer for the unneeded files then giving you a lost showing how much space you could save and which files could be deleted e.g. if you forget to empty the recycling bin. This means that once you have deleted the files your computer has less to search through when locating other files and speeds up the time taken.

You can also get your own Disk cleaner software which will differ from the standard operating system version. A good example of this is C-Cleaner. This is a good choice because it tells you exactly which browsers it can clear as well as being spyware free, this is good because most Disk clean up software cannot clean some browsers so one that cleans most of them is a good choice. Another really good part of this is it is really fast. The disk clean-up takes only a few seconds to complete which means users can use it at their leisure and it won't take up needed processor power. This is a good feature as most disk clean-ups will take time to scan the system and then choose which files to delete, one which can do it all in  few seconds is a good choice.
How can this improve the performance of computer systems?
This would improve your computers performance as your computer would not have to spend so long looking for the files you want to use. This could also help as some of the software on your computer could be something that opens in the background on start-up. This means that if your disk clean-up were to delete it your computer start-up would be faster and while your computer is running the processor won't be doing as much - speeding up your computer.

Defragmentation: When your computer saves information into your file it saves it in layers, putting one on top of the other continuously. This means that to find a specific piece of information your computer has to search through all these mixed up files to find the one you want which takes time. That’s where ‘Defrag’ comes in. By ‘defragging’ your computer it sorts all those individual bits of information into order making it easier to find specific files. For example if you’re looking for a specific web address, instead of looking through tons of different bit of information, it skips straight to the web address part of the memory and starts there speeding up the process.

How can this improve the performance of computer systems?
This helps your computer a lot as less time will be spent looking for the data you want. This would mean that instead of waiting for a program to load, while your computer searches for the different bits of data inside it, it would be much faster. This would also help a lot after the program has started because, as these files are now grouped together, when you want to use something else inside the program you computer will already be in the right place. This would speed up your computer a lot and mean more time can be spend on what you are actually doing.

You can also buy Defragmentation software which is better than the standard operating system software. A good example of this is PerfectDisk Pro. This is a program you can buy for £40.00 online and is the best defragmetnation software you can get. This is because it targets and defragments parts of your computer before they can become a problem. It also has an advanced boot system which defras the specific files that would usually slow down boot up time, this, along with its optiwrite software, means your computecan run smoothly. This mixed with it's auto-optimization settings, which allows the computer to defrag itself when the computer isn't busy, means that all the work is done behind the scenes and you don't need to worry about it.

P2 - Operating Systems

An operating system is a piece of software in your computer that allows all the other programs to work. It is the first program your computer loads when turning on and without it the computer will be useless. Examples of operating systems include Windows, MacOS and UNIX for computers as well as Android for phones. Although all these operation systems are different and have different functions to fit their needs they all are set up to do the same things at the core of their program: To provide a User interface, manage the hardware and manage the computer’s memory.

Operating systems help users because they are able to run several programs at once and find where the programs are in their memory. This is useful because before operating systems where created a computer could only hold one program at a time and programs had to be stored externally, using the Von Neumann of having each program on an individual Card. This meant that when people wanted to upload a new program they would have to take out the card, wipe the memory and then put in a new one (a time consuming way of doing things). It also meant people had to walk around with cases of cards each holding a different program. Once operating systems were created however it meant people could store more programs on their computers and run more than one at once making using a computer much easier.