MN404 Fundamentals of Operating Systems and Programming Assignment

This document presents a comprehensive solution to an MN404 assignment focusing on the fundamentals of operating systems and programming, specifically addressing the role of operating systems and command-line interfaces (CLI). The assignment is divided into two sections. Section 1 delves into the features of an ideal operating system, including platform and third-party library support, AI and machine learning integration, and robustness. It compares the functionalities of Linux and Windows OS, covering user accounts, automated task scheduling, file system management, firewall applications, server capabilities, and virtual memory support. The section further explores the role of device drivers, BIOS, and batch processing in the context of cloud computing. It concludes with an analysis of operating systems for IoT devices, identifying RIOT as a suitable OS. Section 2 provides solutions to Unix exercises, including password changes, directory navigation, file creation, and permission modifications, with associated command-line instructions and screenshots. The solution demonstrates practical application of CLI commands for file management, directory manipulation, and system administration tasks.

Running head: Fundamentals of operating system
Fundamentals of operating system
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors note

Section 1
Answer to question 1
Platform and third party library support should be one of the features that needs to
be added. As the appliances and their functionalities are implemented by different
organizations using multiple third party libraries therefore, it is important for the OS to be
capable of integrating with those libraries.
Another feature will be inclusion of the AI and machine learning module in the
operating assignment so that will help the operating system to learn from the past
interactions with the users and optimize the appliance usage and suggestions for the users
of those home appliances.
Furthermore, the robustness and multithreading is another feature that should be
used and incorporated in the newer operating system. So that it can handle and process
multiple requests from the devices.
Answer to question 2
Both operating systems provides multiple role based user accounts in order to
provide better security and performance using the available resources. In this way the
operating systems ensures that available resources are protected from the unauthorised
access so that the user data is safe from the intrusion and data breach attacks.
Linux and Windows operating system helps the users with Automated task
scheduling which can help to process and complete task without any user interference.
Both operating systems handles this in different ways. In case of Linux automated task are
scheduled and handled “cron” where as in case of the Windows operating system the
same is handled by “Task Scheduler”.
The OS’s manages the file system in a similar manner for which it uses tree like
structure. This tree includes directories/folders (in windows) and files or executables in
them.
In order to provide an inbuilt security mechanism from the viruses, malwares both
operating systems are packed with the inbuilt firewall applications. This firewall application

is the first defence against any kind of attack to the system. Windows as well as Linux
systems are able to run as server on low-memory computing systems. In order to provide
a enhanced performance for running the applications windows and Linux supports virtual
memory at given point of time. On the other hand, the operating systems suffers from the
memory fragmentation issue while reading and writing the files.
Answer to question 3
Operating system utilizes device drivers in order to manage the hardware’s
components of the system. This are small programs which are available on the hard drive.
This programs instructs computers in order to communicate with devices such as the
keyboard, memory devices and other I/O devices. BIOS/ Basic input/output system is hard-
coded on the motherboard of the system which is mainly responsible for input and output
from and to the operating system, devices.
Another driver is available on the ROM BIOSThis firmware chip helps in
management of the available as well connected devices. BIOS is categorised in three parts.
The first category is responsible for controlling of I/O devices. Second one is the responsible
for controlling the start-up services of a computer. The last one driver is responsible for the
changes in the setup information. This last driver is available on CMOS. By using this
software components operating system handles interaction with hardware components to
the system.
Answer to question 4
In the present time of the Cloud computing, Batch processing is not important or
relevant. The batched processes are developed in order to optimize the scarce computing
resources. With the scalable computing resources and processing speed presently the tasks
can be helpful in competing the tasks or processes using the scalable resources. As in case of
the available cloud computing abilities users does not have to wait for the operator in
order to load the programs/data for the process.
Batch processing is considered important for the offline processing of the tasks
which can be presently addressed by the cloud based computing systems. With the available

scalable computing resources according to the requirement, it can be stated that in the
present day, the Batch processing is not that important.
Answer to question 5
By analysing all the available operating systems for IoT devices it is feasible to state
that RIOT can be considered as the most efficient OS for IoT appliance. The OS is modular
in nature and ensures minimal memory usage. It only requires hundred bytes of RAM. More
over it also supports entire network for IoT like RPL, Ipv6, ICMP66, 802.15.4 Zigbee
protocol, CoAP and others protocols. This operating system additionally supports static as
well as dynamic memory allocation. This results in efficient usage of the resources for
processing the requests of the IoT devices.
Section 2
Answer to question 1
Changing the password to mypssd and logging in to the system again. As the
“mypssd” is a very simple password thus without the use of the sudo command initially it
was not possible to set the password.

Answer to question 2
Changing the working directory to home directory
Answer to question 3
Creation of temp.dir

Copying /etc/hosts and /etc/fstab to temp.dir
Answer to question 4
Creation of temp2.dir

Copying all the content from temp.dir to temp2.dir using the cp –a command.
Answer to question 5
As the directories are filled with content and due to that initially it was prompting
error but with the use of the rm –r the directories are removed.

Answer to question 6
list.names file and viewing the last modification time

Answer to question 7
In order to list the files that have names starting with dot (.) can be listed using the ls
–al command where all the hidden files are listed by the help of –a option with the ls
command.

Answer to question 8
Creation of the myfile with size zero.

Answer to question 9
Answer to question 10
Sending the output to hisfile