Deck 6: An Introduction to System Software and Virtual Machines

Question 1

Each symbolic assembly language instruction is translated into one or more machine language instructions.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

In a time-sharing system, a program can keep the processor until it initiates an I/O operation and has run for the maximum length of time.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A(n) ____________________ character is displayed on screen to indicate that an operating system is waiting for input.

Answer 3

prompt

Question 4

One of the problems with machine language is that it uses binary.

Question 5

Second-generation operating systems are called multiprogrammed operating systems. _________________________

Question 6

Assembly language does not allow the use of symbolic operation codes.

Question 7

A single high-level language instruction is typically translated into many high-level language instructions. _________________________

Question 8

All modern operating systems provide GUIs.

Question 9

Machine language is a high-level programming language.

Question 10

Clients cannot perform local computations without access to the network.

Question 11

An interface prevents accidental damage to hardware, programs, and data.

Question 12

The user interfaces on the operating systems of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s were text oriented. _________________________

Question 13

Typically, all requests to a(n) ____________________ operating system are prioritized.

Question 14

Assemblers, compilers, and interpreters are all examples of ____________________ services.

Question 15

____________________ labels increase the maintainability of a program.

Question 16

One of the services provided by pseudo-ops is program construction.

Question 17

The variable used to determine the address of a given instruction or piece of data is called the program counter. _________________________

Question 18

Machine language allows only numeric memory addresses.

Question 19

For a program to run on a naked machine, it must be represented in decimal. _________________________

Question 20

It is the responsibility of the ____________________ to safeguard the password file that stores all valid user name/password combinations.

Question 21

The ____ hides from the user the messy details of underlying hardware.

A) interface
B) operating system
C) system software
D) machine code

Question 22

After all the fields of an assembly language instruction have been translated into binary, the newly built machine language instruction and the address of where it is to be loaded are written out to a file called the ____ file.

A) table
B) source
C) data
D) object

Question 23

Translators for ____ are called compilers.

A) assembly language
B) machine language
C) low-level languages
D) high-level languages

Question 24

In ____ language, if we insert or delete an instruction, all memory addresses following that instruction will change.

A) assembly
B) machine
C) low-level programming
D) high-level programming

Question 25

A(n) ____ operation involves the comparison of values and the subsequent use of the outcome to decide what to do next.

A) iterative
B) conditional
C) sequential
D) transformer

Question 26

System software acts as a(n) ____ between the users and the hardware.

A) translator
B) intermediary
C) tester
D) security agent

Question 27

A(n) ____ invokes a service of the assembler.

A) compiler
B) pseudo-op
C) loader
D) operation

Question 28

The set of services and resources created by the system software and seen by the user is called a(n) ____ machine.

A) naked
B) virtual
C) assembler
D) Von Neumann

Question 29

____, such as text editors, are sometimes organized into collections called program libraries.

A) Programming tools
B) Office tools
C) Packages
D) Utilities

Question 30

A Von Neumann computer without any helpful user-oriented features is called a(n) ____ machine.

A) distributed
B) virtual
C) assembler
D) naked

Question 31

Icons displayed on the screen are selected with a mouse and a button using a technique called ____.

A) windows interface
B) point-and-click
C) panel interface
D) command line

Question 32

The ____ problem-solving cycle involves inputting code to an assembler, translating it to machine language, loading it into a Von Neumann computer, and executing to produce answers to the problem.

A) Von Neumann
B) modern
C) algorithmic
D) conditional

Question 33

A machine language program is called the ____ program.

A) source
B) object
C) data
D) virtual

Question 34

A ____-generation operating system will typically be a parallel processing operating system that can efficiently manage computer systems containing tens, hundreds, or even thousands of processors.

A) second
B) third
C) fourth
D) fifth

Question 35

The conversion of symbolic op codes such as LOAD, ADD, and SUBTRACT to binary makes use of a structure called the ____.

A) op code table
B) assembler
C) loader
D) library

Question 36

C++ and Java are examples of ____ languages.

A) low-level programming
B) high-level programming
C) machine
D) assembly

Question 37

If the op code table is sorted alphabetically, the ____ search algorithm is used to find an op code.

A) sequential
B) binary
C) op code
D) table

Question 38

____ operation codes are restricted to be used in the operating system or other system software.

A) Privileged
B) User
C) Specialized
D) System

Question 39

In assembly language, a(n) ____ is a name, followed by a colon, placed at the beginning of an instruction.

A) op code mnemonic
B) comment
C) address field
D) label

Question 40

A program written in assembly language is called the ____ program.

A) virtual
B) object
C) data
D) source

Question 41

What is the most important task of the operating system?

Question 42

What is the single most important piece of system software on the computer? Discuss its function, and discuss at length its software packages that handle the requests of other programs.

Question 43

What are three major advantages to writing programs in assembly language rather than machine language?

Question 44

Briefly explain the function of the operating system as a security guard.

Question 45

Explain what a real-time operating system does. Then give a detailed example.

Question 46

What are the four tasks to be performed by an assembler?

Question 47

How does a GUI communicate with a user?

Question 48

List four responsibilities of the system software.

Question 49

Describe four problems with machine language.

Question 50

To make a Von Neumann computer usable, what must you create between the user and the hardware? What must this created item do?