Final answer:
Middleware is designed to simplify the process of designing and programming distributed applications. It enables uniform access and interaction between different client applications and services hosted on various servers. This abstraction facilitates the creation of networked applications that work seamlessly across diverse systems.
Explanation:
The basic purpose of middleware is to enable an application or user at a client to access a variety of services on servers without being concerned about differences among servers.
Middleware acts as an intermediary layer that handles communication, data management and application services across distributed networks. It aims to provide a simplified, consistent and unified programming model, despite the complexity and heterogeneity of the underlying network, operating systems, and hardware. Types of middleware include database middleware, message-oriented middleware, web middleware, and transaction-processing monitors. By using middleware, developers do not need to write network codes specific to each server and can create applications that work seamlessly in different environments. This enables applications to interact across different platforms and technologies, which is especially important in a world with diverse computing systems and standards.