supervisor mode

supervisor mode

[′sü·pər‚vī·zər ‚mōd]

(computer science)

A method of computer operation in which the computer can execute all its own instructions, including the privileged instruction not normally allowed to the programmer, in contrast to problem mode.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

supervisor mode

(Or "supervisor state") An execution mode on some processors which enables execution of all instructions, including privileged instructions. It may also give access to different a address space, to memory management hardware and to other peripherals. This is the mode in which the operating system usually runs.

Opposite: user mode.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

privileged mode

An operational state of software that has the highest priority. Also called the "supervisor mode" or "supervisor state," it is typically the mode in which the operating system runs, because it has access to all the resources in the computer. See privilege.

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supervisor state

Typically associated with mainframes, it is a hardware mode in which the operating system executes instructions unavailable to an application program; for example, I/O instructions. Contrast with program state. See supervisor call.

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