Have you ever noticed the window that pops up each time you print or scan a document? It will usually confirm the name of the file that you're reproducing, and let you choose which pages you want to deal with, and how many copies you want to make. There is a generic name for that software. It's the printer or scanner driver.
At the most basic level, printer drivers do one thing: They enable your PC or Mac to transmit commands -- such as "Print" or "Use the color red" -- to your printer or scanner by translating the programming codes used by Windows or the Mac into code that the printer can understand. However, today's drivers do much more. Depending on your printer or scanner, they allow you to choose how many copies you want, whether you want to print in color or black-and-white, whether (if your printer supports it) you want to print on one side or two, what size image your want, etc.
The nice thing is that you get to choose how you want to use your driver.If you simply want it to "drive" your printer or scanner, then you can pretty much ignore its presence. Just click "Print" or "OK" when it comes up, and let your device do the rest.
Exploring Your Options
However, it may be worthwhile to explore your driver a bit. These days, many drivers offer access to a number of interesting features, especially for the higher-end printers and scanners. For example, if you have a photo printer or a high-end color printer, the driver may allow you to tweak the way your colors will appear, depending on the type of paper you intend to use, or whether you are printing a photo of a person or a landscape.
In the case of a scanner, the driver could determine the type of scan (depending on whether you're scanninga photo, an illustration, or a magazine page, for example), the size of the scan, and the format you will be scanning it to.
So the next time you print something, take a couple of minutes to investigate the driver. You might find some interesting features that you didn't know about.
Keeping Up-To-Date
Like most software, drivers are never set in stone (or silicon, for that matter) -- they are always being updated and improved. As a result, it's always a good idea to check the manufacturer's Web site every few months to see if there is an update of your printer driver. Just go to the Support or Downloads area on the site; there will usually be a drop-down menu or other search mechanism to help you find your specific driver.
