The Basics of dealing with ANY Operating
System, amount to several areas, which we'll cover here, VERY briefly,
and then get into more details as we move-through the course...
This reading-material will take you 'about' 1-2 hours depending on what
your foundation knowledge level is and how much time you spend
following links to have various items explained...
- Directory, File, Folder
'management': - that is how to name directories, files and
Folders, where to put them, how to back them up, etc.
- Copying files: (which is
a sub-set of the above item, but includes some 'activities' or
actions
that result in another copy of a file)
- there is a "Gotcha" here, though - make CERTAIN that you know
the difference(s) between ' Move ' and '
Copy '
. and not only know the differences but HOW your Operating system
will
treat the Move versus Copy question when it is presented with
it. MOST Operating Systems make choices FOR YOU,
are
those the ones you WANT MADE?
- 'Burning' CD-ROMs and DVDs:
- how to get data onto "WORM" devices (Write Once, Read Mostly)
and/or
re-writeable media (such as USB disks and even floppy disks.
The
concept of copying information from / to is one that you will use
frequently, make certain you learn this well.
- Applications: - How to
both identify them, make buying / downloading decisions and how to
use
them
- BackUp: - How to create
'safe' copies of your most treasured files & works so you don't
have to be embarassed by your hard-disk-crash!
- Efficient use of time:
your time and the computer's time as well as the 'network's time'
- Java "Runtime Engine": -
this is the 'Java item' (frequently called a 'run time engine' that
allows your computer to run Java applets (typically within the
context
of a web-browser (client software)), and/or 'real-programs' that are
not
associated with a Web Browser client software (see Applications
below).
There is / are other items to think
about in the study of Operating Systems, but these will suffice for the
short-term and for the general computer-user. More technical
information can be found by
clicking here.
Remember, also that an OPERATING SYSTEM is (typically) specific
to the type of 'CPU' (Central Processing Unit (hardware 'heart')) of a
computer. MOST Operating Systems (though certainly not all) are
designed, written and run solely on a single processor.
File
and
Folder Management:
Directories are the areas in mainframe, Linux, Unix
systems that Apple
and Microsoft call "Folders"... So when we talk about 'directories' -
read that as the same as a 'folder'... - I will 'attempt' to use only
one term but recognize that there are both terms but they refer to the
same philosophical 'structure' on your hard-disk and the real-world
analogy with the file-drawer / file-folder is a good one.
File and folder management can best be described by the following
concept: it is the methodology (that you MUST HAVE for the long
term health and well being of both your computer and your sanity) for
deciding two things:
- what to NAME a file and/or a folder that the file goes into
- where to PUT that named file and/or folder
to read, in more detail, about the ' File and Folder Management ' issue
-
click here .
Copying
Files:
Remember, - there is a difference between 'copy' and 'move' - some
notes on that concept ' here '.
One
of the most-used skill-sets that a user requires is how to move
files
from point 'A' to point 'B' - this is especially true if you work on
a
Microsoft operating system on an Intel-based computer because they
tend
to 'crash' a LOT. Every crash creates 'lost work / lost
time' (see below for 'time' issues)...
So - whether you
like it or not - whether you think it is productive or not -
learning
how to copy files, efficiently, from anywhere in / on your computer
(or
the network it is attached to (typically using "ftp")) to anywhere
else, is a required skill-set to be learned, understood and
mastered.
Luckily there is / are help, but that is both good and
bad. In all computer operating system(s) there is a way
to
copy a
file from 'A' to 'B' and it is easy, but there is / are probably 3-5
DIFFERENT WAYS to do this in almost any operating
system.
Sometimes 'context' dictates which method to use, sometimes it does
not. So for the beginner - you should learn ONE WAY, and use
it
ALL THE TIME until you are comfortable with it - and then, and ONLY
THEN learn another method.
Here are some 'tutorials' for
various OSs. There are a LOT of similarities when
you
learn to use
2-3-4-5 different operating systems.
- Apple Macintosh OS "X": copy-files tutorial -
(to be created here, later)
- Linux: copy-files tutorial
- (to be created here, later)
- Microsoft Windows (XP): copy-files
tutorial
A last word or two on copying files - Remember - (as the
'Copy
vs Move' web-page will tell you) that A
lot depends on the Context and a lot depends on whether or not you are
copying ON the same disk or BETWEEN disks (to - say - removeable
media)... - Make certain you UNDERSTAND what you are doing or you MAY
be disappointed, you MAY have failed to do what you had thought you
wanted and YOU MAY want to "Check Your Work" after you do the copy -
just to make certain that it happened the way you think it did. - There
is NO SHAME in checking your copy - especially if the file is important.
Burning CD-ROMs and DVDs:
Burning a CD-ROM or a DVD is just another English
language way
to say 'copy files'... However, there is /
are
a few differences,
but ultimately all you are doing when you 'burn' a disc is to
copy-files...
The 'major' difference is that you 'set-up' the copy
process by dragging, in essence, a short-cut of every file you want
to
go on the CD-ROM or DVD to the desktop representation of the target
media (CD-ROM or DVD). Then you ultimately tell the
computer to 'execute' the copy activity
by clicking an a button somewhere that says "Burn Disc" or "Copy
these
files to the CD-ROM", or "Copy these files to the DVD".
Operating systems specific tutorials are here:
- Apple Macintosh OS "X"
- Linux (generic)
- Microsoft Windows (XP):
Note that - at this point in time (early 2007) that ALL Operating
system current-version(s) can 'burn' discs natively (that is you do not
need 'third-party-software-applications' to 'burn' a disc.
HOWEVER, you MAY NEED ( in some rare cases ) third-party software to
create multiple 'burn sessions' - that is to make a disk
're-writeable'.
BE CAREFUL, though - there is a HUGE difference
in discs that are 're-writeable' and discs that you can 'WORM'
(Write Once, Read Mostly). In today's computing world the ability
to write, re-write (on top of what was already written) and write to a
new area of a disc (CD-ROM have 'about' 600 megabytes of room, DVDs
have 'about' 3 gigabytes of room)... - Make sure you know both
what your MEDIA (the actual round - disc-item you hold in your hand is
capable of, AND what your COMPUTER is capable of...
Here are some media designations, remember your computer must also have
similar capabilites:
- CD-ROMs (Compact Disc - Read Only Memory): - not write-able or
re-writeable or over-writeable - typically this is how new software
is
delivered to you for installation on your computer
- CD-many other designations: some are writeable, once, some are
writeable many times but not
'eraseable', some are re-writeable or over-writeable - some are not
- DVD- (most are NOT 'writeable' at all): - typically this is
how new software is delivered to you for installation on your
computer
- DVD-many other designations: some are writeable, once, some
are writeable many times but not 'eraseable', some are re-writeable
or
over-writeable - some are not
Back-Up
files and Folders:
A fairly basic treatment of that 'hard to consider' (realistically)
strategy / process / task that we all know we should implement and use
(religiously), but few of us really do consider.
Back-Up of files and Folders is just a 'carry-on' or 'follow-on'
of the above mentioned tasks or skills related to Copy-Move and/or
writing or buring CD-ROMs and/or DVDs. The copy-move-burn
is the 'action' or the verb that will implement the policy or strategy
of a backup-system. The following separate treatment gives you
some ideas about strategies and processes.
click '
here ' to go to a separate web-page
for this important subject.
A Back-Up strategy and/or process can typically be implemented on more
than one Operating System and/or on more than one platform.
However, a home Back-Up strategy is probably a lot different from an
office Back-Up strategy. So - we'll let you study the above
link and decide what your Back-Up strategy will be, and how to
implement it.
Applications:
Applications are the 'meat' of the computer-software we all use
every
day. The operating system is like the desk, file cabinets,
paper
shredder, stapler and file-drawer and file-folder-contents-labels in
your new office. The Applications is the work you do in this
office, most applications act upon or create data files that are
specific for that application.
Some example applications (recognize these are SEPARATE from the
operating system):
- Microsoft's Office suite product
(includes (typically)) Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, Outlook, Entourage(e-mail), Access (database)
- Web Browser (client) software
(typically: Microsoft's Internet
Explorer, Apple's Safari, Mozilla's Firefox)
- E-Mail (client) software
(typically: Microsoft's Entourage, Apple's
"Mail", Qualcomm's Eudora, Unix's EMACS or Pine
- CAD Software (typically:
AutoCAD, Rhino3D, Vectorworks, Cobalt,
TouchCAD, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, UGS, etc.
- GIS Software (ESRI's
ArcView suite, Trimble's EarthSensor suite,
Leica's ground-based-surveying etc.)
- GPS Software (Global
Positioning System) - software that both manipulates waypoints,
track-logs and routes on a hand-held unit as well as software that
displays these items on maps and charts and prints and routes
driving
directions
- Image manipulation software
(typically: Photoshop and it's ilk, on all platforms, GIMP on
Linux, Irfanview on Microsoft, etc.)
- Catalog-development software
(iPhoto on the Apple OS is one, Microsoft's Image and Fax Viewer,
etc.)
- Web-page development or 'HTML
editor' software: Mozilla on Apple-Macintosh, Front-Page
(Microsoft (very proprietary)), etc.
- there are countless others - especially in certain
'niche-markets' - software to accomplish many tasks
One of the greatest skills of a computer-user is developing
an understanding of each application that they use, and a sense of
which application is best for what task. MANY ill-taught
computer-users are consistently using the wrong application for the
wrong task. This is not their fault, especially as the bulk of
computer-users are not taught how to make effective and efficient
choices. One of the abilities you will learn if you read
more / learn more, here, is the ability to save yourself and your
'customers' time.
to read more about the 'details' of the selection(s) and use of
Applications -
click here .
Efficient
use of time:
There is / are several arenas in which we (as humans) learn to
understand and deal with 'time' - it's one of the few things we can
never have enough of and even a very slow computer does things WAY
FASTER than most humans. A VERY VERY Fast computer can save one a
LOT of time.
Rember that time saved is money earned. In the computer-use
and network-connected world there is / are three types of time that are
of value to 'save':
- Your (human) time: - time
human beings spend doing this, that, or the other - if you can save
an
hour a day you can have that time to put to use doing other things
that
are more fun or more rewarding than juggling data on your
computer. The more you can 'streamline' your data, your
tasks and your use of the computer the more time you'll have for
other tasks - in this section (when we talk in detail about
this
problem) we'll attempt to save you some significant time here.
- Computer time: - the time
the computer takes to 'process' whatever you're asking it (with the
operating system) or an application (see above) to do. The more time
it
takes the computer to 'do' something the more time you have to
'wait'. You (the user) have the opportunity to reduce the time
taken to process file(s) and the time you need to be tied-up-to the
computer doing the tasks that your management, self, or family has
dictated you to accomplish with the computer's help. Your
choice
(should you have the ability to influence the configuration and
buying
decisions) of what to buy and how to use it will help you get a
computer that will really save you some time in terms of 'Have I
selected the most productive tool for my time and the Computer's
time.
- Network time:
- time that a file spends on the network, going from one place to
another is valuable time. Many people believe that the
network is 'just there' and they needn't care about how big a file
is -
nor how much network time it will take to transmit it to some other
place. HERE, though, (more than on your computer's hard
disk) is where BIG FILES cost MONEY (to transmit over the
network). Unfortunately networks are both expensive and
very time-consuming to design, install, and manage. Though the
cost of creating and managing networks is rapidly dropping - and
their
performance and abilities is rapidly increasing, the preponderance
of
both still and moving image files is increasing much more rapidly
than
the network(s) are improving. Thusly - someone ultimately has
to
pay for the network's design, installation and
maintenance.
Once the user-community both knows and understands the intricacies
of
the network - it will be very helpful when they begin to restrict
file
size and number. Network 'over-use' or 'mis-use' is one
of
the single greatest failures of training of begining computer users.
to read, in more detail, about the ' Time ' issue -
click
here .
Java
Run-time
Engine:
The opportunity for you / your computer / your web-browser to be able
to 'run' Java Applets and Applications depends on a whole bunch of
'details' but the most basic detail is simply this: Does your
computer and/or its operating system know / understand and have stored
on it's hard-disk something called the "Java Run-time Engine"
(sometimes called JVM (for Java Virtual Machine) or Java RTE or Java
IDE (the IDE allows development of applications, - in itself it
does not allow running applications (per-se) but the implication is
there, that if you have the IDE, then you will have the 'rest' of the
tools).
IF your computer has this (the run-time-engine) - then your
web-browser (and Java Applet) will 'call' this piece of software when
needed, and your
computer will also utilize it when there is no web-browser involved.
Java applications are 'written for a generic computer' ( (the "JVM"
that really
doesn't exist, except in the mind of the Run-time Engine
people.
They write the "Run-time Engine" for each computer's CPU and/or
configuration and then 'sell' the Run-time Engine for each computer
type to the people that write the operating system, and - IN GENERAL -
it should already be on your computer - but it may not be.
You may have to get the Run-Time-Engine from Sun Microsystems and/or at
some point (in
time) you may have to upgrade the "Run-Time-Engine"... - so this is not
really something you have to 'do' but it is something you need to be
aware of...
Further - the Java Virtual Machine development environment is now
supplied with some Operating Systems. - it may be in your Developer
sub-directory, - -or it may not. In most cases you can obtain the
'JDK' (Java Development Kit) from Sun Microsystems at:
http://www.sun.com/java
last updated: 06:05
a.m. on Wednesday, 13 May, 2015; revID: 1m