You don't need a lot of equipment to start using your Apple IIGS. You can go a long way with just a monitor, a disk drive, a printer, and a single application. But when you're ready to go further, there are hundreds of ways to go, and lots of tools to help you get there.
The next two chapters introduce some of the applications and peripheral devices you can get for the Apple IIGS. Decide on the types of applications and peripheral devices you need; then choose the specific product based on the recommendations of friends, reviews in computer magazines, reviews in software catalogs, and the advice of your authorized Apple dealer. (Friends are best because if you take their recommendations, they can answer questions that come up as you're learning to use the application or peripheral device.)
You can get a couple of general-purpose applications like a data base application and a spreadsheet application and adapt them for dozens of different purposes. Or you can get very specialized applications: a data base that's already set up as a running log, a recipe file, a coin collector's journal; a spreadsheet already set up for preparing a home budget, preparing your income taxes, balancing your checkbook, or for analyzing different mortgage options.
The advantage of general-purpose applications is their flexibility. You can use one application for dozens of different things, and you can decide how to set up the "form" you use for filling in your information. The advantage of specialized applications is that they're easy to use. All you do is fill in the blanks.
The following sections describe some general-purpose applications, followed by a list of some of the specialty applications available for the Apple II family of computers. You can find out about other specialty applications by looking through computer magazines or software catalogs.
Figure 5-1
Lots of applications
Desk accessories: With the Apple IIGS, you can use miniature applications like a notepad and calculator without leaving your main application. These miniature applications are called desk accessories.
