CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which statement best distinguishes a network operating system from a distributed operating system?
A. A network OS cannot use TCP/IP
B. A distributed OS has no kernel
C. They are exactly identical concepts
D. A network OS exposes separate machines, while a distributed OS aims for greater system-wide transparency
Correct Answer: D
Distributed systems aim to hide distribution more than conventional network operating systems do.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which term best describes an operating system designed for appliances, vehicles, routers, and dedicated controllers?
A. Embedded operating system
B. Desktop publishing system
C. Database management system
D. Batch compiler
Correct Answer: A
Embedded operating systems are tailored for dedicated devices and constrained hardware.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which of the following is an example of a server-oriented Linux distribution?
A. Google Chrome
B. Ubuntu Server
C. Microsoft Excel
D. Adobe Photoshop
Correct Answer: B
Ubuntu Server is a Linux distribution intended for server workloads.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which of the following is an example of a mobile operating system?
A. BIOS
B. SQL
C. Android
D. NTFS
Correct Answer: C
Android is a mobile OS; NTFS is a file system, BIOS is firmware, and SQL is a query language.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which operating system is primarily associated with IBM-compatible PCs of the 1980s and early 1990s?
A. Android
B. iOS
C. ChromeOS
D. MS-DOS
Correct Answer: D
MS-DOS was a dominant command-line PC operating system in that era.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which type of operating system manages a group of networked computers so that resources may appear integrated?
A. Distributed operating system
B. Standalone single-user OS
C. BIOS
D. Compiler
Correct Answer: A
A distributed OS coordinates resources across multiple networked machines.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which type of operating system allows many users to interact with the same computer by rapidly sharing CPU time?
A. Boot manager
B. Time-sharing operating system
C. Single-task system
D. Firmware utility
Correct Answer: B
Time-sharing divides processor time among users/processes to provide interactive service.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which operating-system type is designed to process groups of jobs with minimal user interaction?
A. Mobile operating system
B. Network browser
C. Batch operating system
D. Interactive time-sharing operating system
Correct Answer: C
Batch systems execute queued jobs with little direct interaction.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which operating-system type is most suitable when missing a timing deadline could cause catastrophic failure?
A. Batch operating system
B. Desktop time-sharing system
C. Single-task DOS system
D. Hard real-time operating system
Correct Answer: D
Hard real-time systems require deadlines to be met reliably.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which Apple operating-system family is based on Darwin and the XNU kernel?
A. macOS
B. MS-DOS
C. FreeDOS
D. Windows 3.1
Correct Answer: A
Modern macOS is built on Darwin and uses the XNU kernel.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Android is based primarily on which kernel family?
A. CP/M kernel
B. Linux kernel
C. Windows NT kernel
D. MS-DOS kernel
Correct Answer: B
Android uses a modified Linux kernel as its low-level core.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which operating system family is commonly described as UNIX-like and open source?
A. CP/M only
B. Classic Mac OS 9 only
C. Linux
D. MS-DOS
Correct Answer: C
Linux systems follow many UNIX concepts and are typically distributed under open-source licenses.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
MS-DOS is primarily an example of which type of operating system?
A. Distributed operating system
B. Real-time network OS
C. Multiprocessor server OS
D. Single-user, single-task operating system
Correct Answer: D
Classic MS-DOS was designed mainly for one user and one foreground task at a time.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which computer scientist is closely associated with the creation of the Linux kernel?
A. Linus Torvalds
B. Bill Gates
C. Tim Berners-Lee
D. Charles Babbage
Correct Answer: A
Linus Torvalds began development of the Linux kernel in 1991.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
UNIX was originally developed at which organization?
A. Xerox PARC
B. Bell Laboratories
C. Microsoft Research
D. IBM PC Division
Correct Answer: B
UNIX originated at Bell Labs in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
What does 'open source' mean for an operating-system project?
A. It can only run from the internet
B. It is always free of charge in every circumstance
C. Its source code is available under a license permitting inspection and modification
D. It has no security controls
Correct Answer: C
Open-source licensing provides access to source code and permissions defined by the license.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which operating-system characteristic allows it to support different hardware by changing hardware-specific modules rather than all applications?
A. Data redundancy
B. Source-code encryption
C. Packet switching
D. Hardware abstraction
Correct Answer: D
Hardware abstraction hides device-specific details behind stable interfaces.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
What is the principal purpose of privileged CPU instructions?
A. Protect sensitive system operations from ordinary applications
B. Increase monitor brightness
C. Compress files automatically
D. Replace application software
Correct Answer: A
Privileged instructions are restricted to kernel/supervisor mode to protect system integrity.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which of the following best describes an API in relation to an operating system?
A. A CPU instruction cache
B. A programming interface applications use to access services
C. A physical memory chip
D. A disk partition table
Correct Answer: B
An API exposes functions and conventions that applications can use to request services.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Basic Computing
Operating Systems
Which term refers to running multiple operating systems on the same physical machine through software abstraction?
A. Paging
B. Journaling
C. Virtualization
D. Spooling
Correct Answer: C
Virtualization creates isolated virtual machines that can run separate operating systems.