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126 Chapter 4 Hardware, Software, and Mobile Systems
You need to understand two important software constraints. First, a particular version of an
operating system is written for a particular type of hardware. For example, Microsoft Windows
works only on processors from Intel and companies that make processors that conform to the
Intel instruction set (the commands that a CPU can process). With other operating systems,
such as Linux, many versions exist for many different instruction sets.
Second, two types of application programs exist. Native applications are programs that are
written to use a particular operating system. Microsoft Access, for example, will run only on the
Windows operating system. Some applications come in multiple versions. For example, there
are Windows and Macintosh versions of Microsoft Word. But unless you are informed other-
wise, assume that a native application runs on just one operating system. Native applications
are sometimes called thick-client applications.
A Web application (also known as a thin-client application) is designed to run within a
computer browser such as Firefox, Chrome, Opera, or Internet Explorer. Web applications run
within the browser and can run on any type of computer. Ideally, a Web application can also run
within any browser, though this is not always true as you will learn.
Consider next the operating system and application program categories of software.
What Are the Major Operating Systems?
The major operating systems are listed in Figure 4-10. Consider each.
Figure 4-10
Major Operating Systems
Category Operating System Used for Remarks
Windows Personal Computer Most widely used operating system in business. Current
Clients version is Windows 8. Includes a touch interface.
Mac OS Macintosh Clients First used by graphic artists and others in arts
community; now used more widely. First desktop OS
to provide a touch interface. Current version is the
Nonmobile Mac OS X Mavericks.
Clients Unix Workstation Clients Popular on powerful client computers used in
engineering, computer-assisted design, architecture.
Dicult for the nontechnical user. Almost never used
by business clients.
Linux Just about anything Open-source variant of Unix. Adapted to almost every
type of computing device. On a PC, used with Open
Oce application software. Rarely used by business
clients.
Symbian Nokia, Samsung, and other Popular worldwide, but less so in North America.
phones
Blackberry OS Research in Motion Device and OS developed for use by business. Very
Blackberries popular in beginning, but losing market share to
iOS and Android.
iOS iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad Rapidly increasing installed base with success of the
Mobile Clients
iPhone and iPad. Based on Mac OS X.
Android Samsung, Google, Linux-based phone/tablet operating system from
HTC, and Sony Google. Rapidly increasing market share.
smartphones; tablets
Windows 8 Microsoft Surface and Windows 8 (RT) tailored specically for ARM devices,
Microsoft Phones mostly tablets. Full Windows 8 on Surface Pro.
Windows Server Servers Businesses with a strong commitment to Microsoft.
Servers Unix Servers Fading from use. Replaced by Linux.
Linux Servers Very popular. Aggressively pushed by IBM.
