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→Hardware Abstraction
There are many different types of devices that perform similar functions, and multiple ways that these devices can be connected. For example:
* A keyboard may be connected via a USB connection, or a wireless Bluetooth connection, or may be created as a virtual keyboard on a touchscreen.* A mouse may be connected via a wired USB, wireless USBdongle, or wireless Bluetooth connection. But there are also other types of devices which can provide the same capability of allowing the user to interact with the display, including trackpads, trackballs, and touchscreens.
* Sound may be played over built-in speakers, an external analog speaker, an analog headset, a digital speaker or headset with a USB connection, a Bluetooth speaker, earbuds, or headset, or played through a television connected via HDMI.
The operating system also abstracts away these hardware details. This means that programs can access devices in a general way without having to be programmed to individually deal with each type of device that may be used. This enables a program to request keyboard input or play sounds without regard to the details of the specific hardware available.
=== Maintaining the Programming Model ===