CAPF AC 2022 Q9: Science & Technology – Computer & Information Technology
- (a) MS-Windows
- (b) Linux
- (c) Ubuntu
- (d) MS-Excel
Answer: (d) MS-Excel
Explanation
Operating system or application
How to think: an operating system runs the computer itself.
An application is a program you open to do a task.
You start the computer with the first and then open the second.
| Software | Type |
|---|---|
| MS-Windows | Operating system (Microsoft) |
| Linux | Operating system, open source |
| Ubuntu | Operating system, a Linux distribution |
| MS-Excel | Application: a spreadsheet program in MS Office |
What an operating system does: it manages memory, files, the processor and devices.
Other examples are macOS, Android, iOS and Unix.
Answer: (d) MS-Excel.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. MS-Windows is the most widely used desktop operating system.
- (b) Incorrect. Linux is an open-source operating system.
- (c) Incorrect. Ubuntu is an operating system built on Linux.
- (d) CORRECT. MS-Excel is a spreadsheet application, not an operating system.
Key point
System software: operating systems (Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, macOS, Android, Unix). Application software: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, browsers. India's own OS efforts: BOSS (C-DAC) and BharOS (IIT Madras).
Remember
Excel is an application; Windows, Linux, Ubuntu are operating systems.
Common mistakes
- Not knowing that Ubuntu is an operating system and marking it.
- Thinking everything made by Microsoft is part of Windows.
- Mixing up system software with application software.
Exam tip
Educated guess: ask which one you can only use after the computer has started. You open Excel inside an operating system.
Sources
- NCERT Class XI Computer Science — Chapter 1: Computer System (software: system and application software)
- NCERT Class XI Informatics Practices — Computer System