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Software Buying Tips

Whether you call them Applications, Programs or Software, with more than 15,000 different Macintosh-compatible titles out there, it would be hard to recommend specific choices in every category. However, we have taken the liberty of mentioning a few of the basics. (NOTE: Prices are taken from the MacMall mail order catalog as of November, 1998.)

Office Productivity Software: The leading Macintosh choices are AppleWorks and Microsoft Office. For $90, the AppleWorks package includes a full-featured word processor, spreadsheet, database, and basic drawing and painting software. (NOTE: AppleWorks is included FREE with some Macs.) By comparison, the $450 Microsoft Office package includes MS Word (word processor), MS Excel (spreadsheet), and MS PowerPoint (presentation software). If you don't need, or can't afford the whole package, Word, Excel and PowerPoint can also be purchased separately for about $350 each. The choice is yours. Microsoft Office is the accepted standard for business PCs, and quite advanced in its capabilities, but it costs a bundle. AppleWorks is affordable, powerful, and probably more than enough to manage your entire business.

Which do we use? We OWN Microsoft Office, mostly for reading the ever-changing formats of Microsoft application files sent to us by PC users. We USE AppleWorks to manage the business.

Database Software: The best Mac choice is FileMaker Pro ($190). There are other titles available (including Microsoft Access) but FileMaker for both Macintosh and Windows is a winner.

Web Browser / Email Client Software: Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are your choices. Both are included for free with the Macintosh Operating System. (Navigator is part of the complete Communicator software package.) For sending and receiving email, Microsoft Outlook Express is included with Internet Explorer, and Communicator has a built-in mailbox function called Messenger.

We prefer Netscape's closer integration of tools over the two-program approach used by Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. But, the newest version of Internet Explorer (v4.01) seems to run a little faster than Navigator.

If you need more advanced email software to sort and auto-respond to mail, Qaulcomm's Eudora Pro ($40) is the best choice.)

Desktop Presentation Software: Since Adobe Persuasion was discontinued several years ago, the office presentation market has been taken over by Microsoft PowerPoint ($350). There are, however, other programs available.

Macromedia Director ($1,000) is the choice of design professionals, but the price puts it out of reach for most of us. As a result, the relatively unknown but surprisingly powerful program IncWell SuperCard ($150) has gained quite a following in schools and business offices that create desktop presentations.

Finally, a new product on the market is Kai's Power SHOW from the talented folks at MetaCreations. At only $50, this program makes creating desktop presentations easy.

Web Page Creation Software: Although not needed by everyone, web page creation software is becoming a popular category. Current choices are Microsoft FrontPage, Adobe PageMill and FileMaker HomePage (all around $100). For professionals, GoLive CyberStudio and Macromedia DreamWeaver (each around $350) are popular choices. (NOTE: Our site was created using Filemaker HomePage - previously from Claris.)

Image Editing Software: For working with scanned photos and other bitmapped images, Adobe Photoshop ($600) is the leading choice of professional artists. MetaCreations Painter ($300) and a newcomer to the Mac market, Corel Draw ($450), are also popular choices.

For home and small business, you can't beat Adobe PhotoDeluxe ($49). This little program - often included for free with scanners and printers - provides many of the capabilities found in the high-end programs.

Illustration Software: For creating vector line art illustrations, the professionals are split evenly between Adobe Illustrator ($370) and Macromedia Freehand ($390). The new Mac version of Corel Draw, which handles both bitmap editing and vector drawing, may give both of these favorites a run for the money.

Desktop Publishing Software: For creating newsletters, brochures or ads with more precision than is possible with a word processor, design professionals prefer Quark Xpress ($700), while the largest seller in business is Adobe PageMaker ($550). For publishing tasks at home, the overwhelming choice is Broderbund's The Print Shop ($50).

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Resources: 5 of 10
Software Buying Tips Whether you call them Applications, Programs or Software, with more than 15,000 different Macintosh-compatible titles out there, it would be hard to recommend specific choices in every category. However, we have taken the liberty of mentioning a few of the basics. (NOTE: Prices are taken from the MacMall mail order catalog as of November, 1998.) Office Productivity Software: The leading Macintosh choices are AppleWorks and Microsoft Office. For $90, the AppleWorks package includes a full-featured word processor, spreadsheet, database, and basic drawing and painting software. (NOTE: AppleWorks is included FREE with some Macs.) By comparison, the $450 Microsoft Office package includes MS Word (word processor), MS Excel (spreadsheet), and MS PowerPoint (presentation software). If you don't need, or can't afford the whole package, Word, Excel and PowerPoint can also be purchased separately for about $350 each. The choice is yours. Microsoft Office is the accepted standard for business PCs, and quite advanced in its capabilities, but it costs a bundle. AppleWorks is affordable, powerful, and probably more than enough to manage your entire business. Which do we use? We OWN Microsoft Office, mostly for reading the ever-changing formats of Microsoft application files sent to us by PC users. We USE AppleWorks to manage the business. Database Software: The best Mac choice is FileMaker Pro ($190). There are other titles available (including Microsoft Access) but FileMaker for both Macintosh and Windows is a winner. Web Browser / Email Client Software: Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are your choices. Both are included for free with the Macintosh Operating System. (Navigator is part of the complete Communicator software package.) For sending and receiving email, Microsoft Outlook Express is included with Internet Explorer, and Communicator has a built-in mailbox function called Messenger. We prefer Netscape's closer integration of tools over the two-program approach used by Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. But, the newest version of Internet Explorer (v4.01) seems to run a little faster than Navigator. If you need more advanced email software to sort and auto-respond to mail, Qaulcomm's Eudora Pro ($40) is the best choice.) Desktop Presentation Software: Since Adobe Persuasion was discontinued several years ago, the office presentation market has been taken over by Microsoft PowerPoint ($350). There are, however, other programs available. Macromedia Director ($1,000) is the choice of design professionals, but the price puts it out of reach for most of us. As a result, the relatively unknown but surprisingly powerful program IncWell SuperCard ($150) has gained quite a following in schools and business offices that create desktop presentations. Finally, a new product on the market is Kai's Power SHOW from the talented folks at MetaCreations. At only $50, this program makes creating desktop presentations easy. Web Page Creation Software: Although not needed by everyone, web page creation software is becoming a popular category. Current choices are Microsoft FrontPage, Adobe PageMill and FileMaker HomePage (all around $100). For professionals, GoLive CyberStudio and Macromedia DreamWeaver (each around $350) are popular choices. (NOTE: Our site was created using Filemaker HomePage - previously from Claris.) Image Editing Software: For working with scanned photos and other bitmapped images, Adobe Photoshop ($600) is the leading choice of professional artists. MetaCreations Painter ($300) and a newcomer to the Mac market, Corel Draw ($450), are also popular choices. For home and small business, you can't beat Adobe PhotoDeluxe ($49). This little program - often included for free with scanners and printers - provides many of the capabilities found in the high-end programs. Illustration Software: For creating vector line art illustrations, the professionals are split evenly between Adobe Illustrator ($370) and Macromedia Freehand ($390). The new Mac version of Corel Draw, which handles both bitmap editing and vector drawing, may give both of these favorites a run for the money. Desktop Publishing Software: For creating newsletters, brochures or ads with more precision than is possible with a word processor, design professionals prefer Quark Xpress ($700), while the largest seller in business is Adobe PageMaker ($550). For publishing tasks at home, the overwhelming choice is Broderbund's The Print Shop ($50).
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Copyright 1998, 5-Minute Mac Consulting, Wampum, Pennsylvania, USA