ITPEC IP April 2026 Question 10
Which of the following is software that mediates between a device connected to a PC and an OS or an application software, and that controls and operates the device?
Explanation
Device driver — software that sits between the OS or an application and one device connected to the PC, and controls that device.
The OS offers applications general functions such as print or read. Each device (printer, scanner, graphics card) has its own commands, so a driver made for that device translates the OS's general requests into the device's own control. Installing the right driver is what lets a newly connected device work.
Answer (c)
Why not others:
- •(a) Archiver — packs several files into one, usually compressed, and restores them; it handles files, not devices
- •(b) Installer — copies a program onto the PC and sets it up to run; it may install a driver, but it does not control the device afterwards
- •(d) Middleware — sits between the OS and applications and offers them common functions, such as a DBMS or communication software; it is not tied to one device
Key rule: A device driver sits between the OS and one kind of device; middleware sits between the OS and applications, providing services many programs share.
Computer Component · AI-written, may contain errors
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