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Software Systems

  • Chapter
Mini and Microcomputer Systems

Part of the book series: Macmillan Computer Science Series ((COMPSS))

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Abstract

This book is largely devoted to computer hardware but it has been stressed throughout that the total hardware/software system is important. This chapter is thus included to explain the important features of the software aspects of the overall computer system. Without system software the hardware of the machine is inoperative. The approach adopted is entirely descriptive, explaining the function of the principal packages providing the software support for the system. The fine details as to how the objective is achieved are not given. Such information is for more advanced computer science text books. See, for example, ref. 8.1, among many such texts.

In this chapter the distinction is drawn between system software and applications programs provided either by the supplier of the computer or, as is often the case, written by the purchaser of the computer system. The more general and important subject of software engineering which relates more directly to the structure of programming languages is discussed in chapter 11.

It is most important that the student understands the overall picture created by this review before moving on to more advanced works in order to understand details of Compilers or Operating Systems, etc.

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References

  1. Goldschlager, L. and Lister, A., Computer Science, A Modern Introduction, Prentice-Hall, London, 1982.

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  2. Kernighan, B. W. and Plauger, P. L., Software Tools, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts, 1976.

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  3. Barron, D. W., Assemblers and Loaders, MacDonald-Elsevier, London, 1979.

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  4. Lister, A. M., Fundamentals of Operating Systems, 3rd edn, Macmillan, London, 1984.

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  5. Dield, H. M., An Introduction to Operating Systems, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts, 1983.

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  6. Brown, P., Starting with UNIX, Addison-Wesley, London, 1984.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Information Systems Engineering Group, Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UK

    M. G. Hartley

  2. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College, Cardiff, UK

    M. Healey

  3. Application Engineering Organisation, Hewlett-Packard Ltd, USA

    P. G. Depledge

Authors
  1. M. G. Hartley
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  2. M. Healey
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  3. P. G. Depledge
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Copyright information

© 1988 M. G. Hartley, M. Healey and P. G. Depledge

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Hartley, M.G., Healey, M., Depledge, P.G. (1988). Software Systems. In: Mini and Microcomputer Systems. Macmillan Computer Science Series. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-19315-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-19315-8_8

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-333-41759-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-349-19315-8

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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