Computer History: Evolution of Disk Storage and Operating Systems

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What was the primary reason for writing the operating system of the IBM 7090 or 7094 in assembly language?

To reduce the complexity of the operating system

To increase the security of the computer

To conserve precious memory (correct)

To improve the performance of the computer

What was the approximate memory size of the first commercial minicomputer, the PDP-1?

16384 16-bit words

1024 16-bit words

8192 16-bit words

4096 18-bit words (correct)

What was the primary programming language used for the first microcomputers in the early 1980s?

COBOL

FORTRAN

C

Assembly language (correct)

What is the primary difference between how Java programs are executed on smart cards and on personal computers?

Java programs are executed interpretively on smart cards Signup and view all the answers

What was the limitation of the early mainframes, like the IBM 7090/7094, in terms of program execution?

They could only run one program at a time Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary factor that led to the resurgence of assembly language programming in the development of minicomputers and microcomputers?

The limited memory capacity of early computers Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary task of an operating system in a multi-user environment?

To keep track of which programs are using which resource, to grant resource requests, to account for usage, and to mediate conflicting requests Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of multiple programs accessing the printer without buffering?

Chaos Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of buffering the output destined for the printer on the disk?

To prevent chaos by storing the output temporarily Signup and view all the answers

What is time multiplexing of resources?

Sharing resources in time Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the operating system in managing resources?

To grant resource requests and mediate conflicting requests Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of resource management in an operating system?

To prevent interference between users and programs Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of virtual memory?

To allow programs to dynamically link libraries at runtime Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of virtual memory in terms of program size?

It allows programs to be larger than physical memory Signup and view all the answers

Which system was the first to allow dynamic linking of libraries at runtime?

MULTICS Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason why old ideas in computing may reappear in a different context?

Because the context changes, making old ideas relevant again Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between the RK05 disk and the IBM RAMAC?

The RK05 disk is smaller than the IBM RAMAC Signup and view all the answers

What type of memory management was used in early mainframes?

Magnetic-tape based Signup and view all the answers