PC/SC, Personal computer/Smart Card is a standard framework for Smart Card access on Windows Platforms (included in Windows2000).
What is the PC/SC Technology?
The interoperability specification for ICCs and Personal Computer Systems (PC/SC) has been developed to ease the introduction of smart cards into the world of PCs.
The advantage of PC/SC is that applications do not have to acknowledge the details corresponding to the smart card reader when communicating with the smart card.
This application can function with any reader that complies with the PC/SC standard.
Thales has been an active member of the PC/SC Workgroup, a committee that is comprised mainly of smart card and computer manufacturers.
Microsoft has played an important role in the elaboration of these standards because Window's platforms are the only ones which offer a smart card resource manager.
More information on the PC/SC workgroup web site.