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Questions and Answers
What is the main advantage of Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) over Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC)?
What is the main advantage of Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) over Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC)?
- RISC processors consume less power compared to CISC processors.
- CISC processors have a larger number of instructions, which can speed up certain tasks. (correct)
- RISC processors have more busses and registers for architectural improvements.
- CISC processors are more efficient in parallelizing tasks than RISC processors.
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a future technology in the text?
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a future technology in the text?
- Quantum computing
- Graphene
- DNA data storage
- Artificial intelligence (correct)
In terms of power consumption, which platform has a clear advantage according to the text?
In terms of power consumption, which platform has a clear advantage according to the text?
- Servers
- Mobile devices (correct)
- Desktops
- Analogue computers
Which type of computing architecture is associated with ARM and RISC-V processors?
Which type of computing architecture is associated with ARM and RISC-V processors?
What was the significance of iMac G4 mentioned in the text?
What was the significance of iMac G4 mentioned in the text?
Why does RISC architecture potentially have an advantage in packing more cores for servers?
Why does RISC architecture potentially have an advantage in packing more cores for servers?
What is the main role of a compiler in relation to application performance?
What is the main role of a compiler in relation to application performance?
In the context of operating systems, what is the function of the Kernel?
In the context of operating systems, what is the function of the Kernel?
Which layer of the operating system is responsible for providing APIs to programmers?
Which layer of the operating system is responsible for providing APIs to programmers?
What does the term 'Layers of abstraction' refer to in the context of computer hardware?
What does the term 'Layers of abstraction' refer to in the context of computer hardware?
What distinguishes RISC architecture from CISC architecture?
What distinguishes RISC architecture from CISC architecture?
What is the main purpose of timer interrupts in modern operating systems?
What is the main purpose of timer interrupts in modern operating systems?
How do APIs benefit programmers when interacting with devices?
How do APIs benefit programmers when interacting with devices?
In real mode, how are memory addresses handled?
In real mode, how are memory addresses handled?
What is a key advantage of virtual memory compared to real mode memory?
What is a key advantage of virtual memory compared to real mode memory?
What is the role of interrupts in modern operating systems?
What is the role of interrupts in modern operating systems?
How does time-slicing contribute to multitasking in single core processors?
How does time-slicing contribute to multitasking in single core processors?
What is a disadvantage of suspending and resuming processes frequently in a system?
What is a disadvantage of suspending and resuming processes frequently in a system?
What role do timer interrupts play in the context of modern operating systems?
What role do timer interrupts play in the context of modern operating systems?
How is memory management handled in Real Mode computing?
How is memory management handled in Real Mode computing?
What is the key advantage of Virtual Memory over Real Mode memory management?
What is the key advantage of Virtual Memory over Real Mode memory management?
What distinguishes RISC architecture from CISC architecture in terms of instruction sets?
What distinguishes RISC architecture from CISC architecture in terms of instruction sets?
Which platform has a clear power consumption advantage according to the text?
Which platform has a clear power consumption advantage according to the text?
What is a key difference between mobile devices and servers in terms of platform comparison?
What is a key difference between mobile devices and servers in terms of platform comparison?
Why is virtual memory essential for modern computer systems?
Why is virtual memory essential for modern computer systems?
Which of the following is considered a future technology according to the text?
Which of the following is considered a future technology according to the text?
What is a distinguishing feature of RISC architecture compared to CISC architecture?
What is a distinguishing feature of RISC architecture compared to CISC architecture?
What sets UNIX apart from TCP/IP according to the text?
What sets UNIX apart from TCP/IP according to the text?
What is the significance of UNIX in relation to TCP/IP as mentioned in the text?
What is the significance of UNIX in relation to TCP/IP as mentioned in the text?
How does RISC architecture differ from CISC architecture?
How does RISC architecture differ from CISC architecture?
In terms of power consumption, why does RISC architecture have a clear advantage for mobile devices according to the text?
In terms of power consumption, why does RISC architecture have a clear advantage for mobile devices according to the text?
Which of the following technologies is NOT highlighted as a future aspect according to the text?
Which of the following technologies is NOT highlighted as a future aspect according to the text?
What is the purpose of swapping out pages to secondary storage in virtual memory systems?
What is the purpose of swapping out pages to secondary storage in virtual memory systems?
How does the text suggest that RISC architecture could potentially be more efficient for servers compared to CISC?
How does the text suggest that RISC architecture could potentially be more efficient for servers compared to CISC?
How does the operating system ensure that applications cannot interfere with each other in a virtual memory system?
How does the operating system ensure that applications cannot interfere with each other in a virtual memory system?
What is a significant drawback of using virtual memory systems due to the swapping of pages?
What is a significant drawback of using virtual memory systems due to the swapping of pages?
How does virtual memory contribute to system security?
How does virtual memory contribute to system security?
In a virtual memory system, what role does the kernel play when the computer boots?
In a virtual memory system, what role does the kernel play when the computer boots?
Which factor contributes to the Von Neumann bottleneck according to the text?
Which factor contributes to the Von Neumann bottleneck according to the text?
In the context of computer performance, what aspect significantly impacts the ability to make transistors smaller?
In the context of computer performance, what aspect significantly impacts the ability to make transistors smaller?
What is a potential limitation of RISC architecture for applications requiring complex instructions?
What is a potential limitation of RISC architecture for applications requiring complex instructions?
Which technology, mentioned in the text, holds promise for significantly impacting future computing architectures?
Which technology, mentioned in the text, holds promise for significantly impacting future computing architectures?
In terms of power efficiency, which platform type is generally favored based on the information provided?
In terms of power efficiency, which platform type is generally favored based on the information provided?
What is a potential drawback of utilizing a longer pipeline in processors?
What is a potential drawback of utilizing a longer pipeline in processors?
In the context of processor design, what was a notable characteristic of the 'infamous' Pentium 4 Prescott?
In the context of processor design, what was a notable characteristic of the 'infamous' Pentium 4 Prescott?
What capability does Direct Memory Access (DMA) provide in modern computing systems?
What capability does Direct Memory Access (DMA) provide in modern computing systems?
How do subsystems like modern graphics cards contribute to computer performance?
How do subsystems like modern graphics cards contribute to computer performance?
Why is adding more execution units, cores, and pipelines common in modern computing despite increased costs?
Why is adding more execution units, cores, and pipelines common in modern computing despite increased costs?
What is the primary responsibility of the Kernel in an operating system?
What is the primary responsibility of the Kernel in an operating system?
In the context of operating systems, what is the purpose of Interrupt handling?
In the context of operating systems, what is the purpose of Interrupt handling?
How does the Kernel contribute to process synchronization within an operating system?
How does the Kernel contribute to process synchronization within an operating system?
Which resource is NOT typically managed by the operating system for a process?
Which resource is NOT typically managed by the operating system for a process?
What type of architecture aims to simplify processor instructions for faster execution?
What type of architecture aims to simplify processor instructions for faster execution?
Which of the following is a key feature of RISC architecture that sets it apart from CISC architecture?
Which of the following is a key feature of RISC architecture that sets it apart from CISC architecture?
In terms of memory management, what advantage does virtual memory offer over real mode memory?
In terms of memory management, what advantage does virtual memory offer over real mode memory?
Which of the following emerging technologies is NOT mentioned in the text as a future technology?
Which of the following emerging technologies is NOT mentioned in the text as a future technology?
When comparing power consumption between mobile devices and servers, which platform typically consumes more power?
When comparing power consumption between mobile devices and servers, which platform typically consumes more power?
Which component of the operating system is responsible for managing process creation and deletion?
Which component of the operating system is responsible for managing process creation and deletion?
Study Notes
Operating System Overview
- An operating system is the collection of software and data that manages the system, performs resource sharing, and provides user dialogue and timesharing.
- Many definitions exist, but the core idea is that the OS manages the system and its resources.
UNIX and Future of Computing
- UNIX introduced TCP/IP as part of the kernel.
- Future developments in computing include quantum computing, new semiconductor materials, new memory technologies, DNA data storage, and analogue computers.
RISC and CISC
- CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computing) increases efficiency by introducing more complex instructions.
- RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) limits instruction number and complexity, allowing for other architectural improvements.
- RISC has advantages in power consumption and smaller cores.
Platforms and Performance
- Mobile devices: RISC has a clear advantage due to lower power consumption.
- Servers: RISC could pack more cores and be more efficient, depending on the purpose.
- Desktops: Either RISC or CISC could win, depending on the ability to parallelise tasks and needs for backwards compatibility.
Operating System Layers
- Hardware abstraction: provides all the processor-dependent code.
- Kernel: allows running processes simultaneously.
- Executive services: drivers, memory management, etc.
- Subsystems: provides the API.
- User Interface: launching and using applications.
Interrupts and Time-Slicing
- Interrupts: events that stop/suspend execution of the CPU to make it do something else.
- Time-slicing: the general idea is to limit the amount of time each process runs for, allowing multitasking.
Memory Management
- Real mode: applications manage memory themselves, limited to what is available.
- Virtual mode: applications are given access to all the memory they need, creating a layer of abstraction.
- Modern OS is responsible for keeping track of memory usage, deciding which processes to load, and allocating and un-allocating memory space.
Kernel and Process Management
- Kernel: hides hardware complexity, runs from the main memory, and needs to be small and efficient.
- Process management: the OS manages processes, creating, deleting, suspending, and resuming them, and providing mechanisms for process communication.
OS Functions and Virtual Memory
- Virtual memory: a layer of abstraction, creating a virtual address space, and allowing the OS to take control of the hardware.
- OS functions: include process management, memory management, file management, I/O system management, and security.
Performance, OS, and Discussion
- Performance problems: every time we invent a faster computer, we find a task that needs more work to be done.
- Limiting factors: design model, Von Neumann bottleneck, clock rate, and software issues.
- CPU architecture features: instruction set, number of registers, bus width, and longer pipelines.
- Superscalar and parallel computing: breaking down phases into smaller ones, duplicating, and allowing parallel execution of instructions.
Subsystems and I/O Devices
- Subsystems: getting other specialized parts of the machine to deal with specific tasks, such as graphics systems.
- I/O devices: each device is given a unique I/O port number, and data is temporarily stored in memory before being transferred to the device.
DMA and DMA Controllers
- DMA (Direct Memory Access): smart devices can help efficiency by moving data without the help of the CPU.
- DMA controllers: microprocessors that transfer data to or from specific memory addresses, often found on devices such as sound cards, network adapters, and hard drives.
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Description
Test your knowledge on computer performance, software impact, compilers, and operating systems with this quiz. Learn about the importance of hardware, software, and how compilers affect application performance.
