By Sharon Hart
Unless you're an exception to the rule, your software budget is more limited than your desire for new products. The marketing wizards at MacWarehouse, MacMall, The MacZone and a host of other companies stay in business by creating advertisements that are designed to separate you from your money. So it is important to be able to differentiate what you need from what you don't and make good decisions when making your Mac-OS purchases.
Software, like clothing, rarely is truly one size fits all. This is particularly true about business, home, personal, and utilities software. As there are typically many software options available, this article is to assist you in choosing the best software package suited your needs. Please note, however, that my suggestions won't provide all-encompassing answers to your questions. This is just a basic guideline to help you find your own solutions.
"The essence of science: ask an impertinent question, and you are on the way to a pertinent answer."--Jacob Brownowski,The Ascent of Man
Several years ago, a Redmond-based software company paid an advertising agency considerable amounts of money to come up with the phrase, "Where do you want to go today?" Personally, I always thought it'd be a better tag line for an airlines agency. It might have been better to ask: "What do you want to do with your Mac today?" Before you rush out and buy software, it's wise to determine exactly what you want to accomplish. For example, do you want simply to maintain your financial records, or do you need to also cut payroll checks and prepare "quarterlies"? Do you need to design newsletters or adverising copy? Perhaps you simply need to have a basic word processing program. I can assure you that, regardless of what you want to do, there is a program available that will meet your needs.
You should also ensure that your computer has the
necessary requirements to run potential purchases. For example:
Don't be afraid to spend some time researching various programs or to
ask the vendor for specification sheets. If time isn't of the
essence, you might follow threads in newsgroups and gain useful
insights into the nuances of various programs. The time you invest
may save you money!
"A fool and his money are soon parted."--Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac
Don't make the mistake of believing that a higher price tag means a better piece of software. There are many excellent freeware and shareware programs that are of the same (or better) quality as commercial applications. This is one of the rare occasions where the adage "you get what you pay for" can be disregarded -- at least in terms of quality. In fact, you may discover that the tech support you receive from a small shareware developer is better than that you could find with a major corporation. This is because you may be getting your help directly from the person who wrote the program, rather than a "canned" auto-bot reply from the larger firm.
People are often surprised to discover how expensive technical support can be. Therefore, I always check for toll-free help lines or free on-line support. Trust me; there is a direct relationship between how technical a product is and how often you'll need to contact technical support. You might also ask if the company charges for updates, or if they are provided as a courtesy to the user. Likewise, if they are provided free of charge, is this limited by time or number of updates?
"Know thyself." -- Inscribed on the temple of Apollo at Delphi
Let's face it, we're Mac users. Because of the Mac's ease of use, we get more work done. Despite this common denominator, there are various levels of expertise and experience within our community. Consequently, there are software programs to serve everyone, whether you are a novice or an accomplished user. Try to match your abilities to the technology offered. If you're starting to explore the world of graphics, don't plan on starting with complex software such as Quark Xpress or Photoshop. While both of these programs are considered the standard in their respective categories, if you're a novice you'd be better off with a shareware program such as Graphic Converter.
Demos are ideal to allow you to experience the software before you invest. When available, try before you buy! Cnet is an excellent resource that offers both new and classic software at their download and shareware archives. By using a demo, you can test how sophisticated a product is and discover if it will perform the tasks you need. Each of us thinks differently; some of us are more analytical than others, some are more intuitive. Demos allows you to sort through the plethora of programs until you find one that fits your particular needs and temperment.
"The prologues are over. It is a question, now, of final belief." -- Wallace Stevens, Asides on the Oboe
Demos are also an excellent way to determine if you'll be comfortable using the software. Sometimes you will relate to one product's interface better than to another. How user friendly a product is should always be considered when making your purchase. While a product may be able to do everything you want, if you're unable to make it responsive to your needs because of poor navigation, it will not serve you well. Talk to other users and inquire about how easy it is to use the software. Did they have problems installing it? Are there any "tricks" they'd be willing to share with you to make using the program easier? Is the program easy to work with, or do you have to go through multiple utility programs to do a simple job?
A friend suggested that an ideal test for user-friendliness is the "filing cabinet" test. Are you more apt to use the program to do the work, or to do it manually and file the material? Alternatively, is it easier to find by using the software or a filing cabinet? If it can pass this test, especially for records, it will score high marks in user friendliness. The goal of software is to make our lives easier, not more complicated.
"Change is not made without inconvienience, even from worse to better." -- Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language
The versatility of a software program should also be considered. Can the program be used for a variety of purposes? For example, whereas an address book program work for you today, if your company experiences significant growth, will it be up to the load increase? Would you do better with a database program, such as FileMaker Pro, that can serve as a PIM, as well as track sales leads, purchase orders and inventory? Likewise, will your program be able to easily update records? If your employee base doubles, or you experience a "downsize", will your personnel program be able to accomodate the changes? Although you're currently using an accountant, will you eventually be doing your own book-keeping and use the accountant only at tax time? When making your purchase, find a program that will adapt to your potentially changing circumstances.
"Tis not enough to help the feeble up, But to support him after." -- William Shakespeare, Timon of Athens
After-sale service is as crucial as the buying decision. Make sure you purchase a product that offers vendor support. Of course, no one who buys software and anticipates problems. But it's always helpful to know that someone will be able to answer questions you may have. Questions to ask are: "Who answers the phone when you call tech support -- a software technician or a sales representative?" Public relations has its place but when I can't get my software to do what I desire, a tech person is essential, not only to my sanity but also to the welfare of anyone around me. How responsive are the tech people to your queries? What about warranties and scheduled upgrades? Does the software support extend only to an FAQ page on the web? Or is there a free telephone number that is answered by a live person waiting to resolve your problems? What hours is tech support open? If you're working on a tight deadline and the project is due on your boss's desk on Monday morning, who will you turn to if something goes afoul with the application on Friday night? Is support available through Email channels, or will you have to make a long distance call to get an answer? Does the company record your problem so that, if it is necessary to call back, a different tech will be relatively familiar with the case?
The infamous software firm based in Redmond, Washington, has a sizeable web presence. It includes on-line support. I discovered, however, that I had to go through so many menus and sub directories that my frustration level with getting the information to tech support exceeded my frustration with the product! It was not a pleasant experience. However, when I finally was contacted by a technician, he was helpful and pleasant.
Other major developers have resorted to sending an automated Email response when you contact their tech support department. I've rarely found the FAQ documents they send address the problems I'm encountering.....and the time time between contact and solution is generally less than satisfactory. This is another good reason to use shareware, as the author is generally more than happy to resolve your problem via Email in a timely manner! Please remember, however, that shareware developers' time is equally valuable.
The bottom line: When it comes to after-sales service, always envision a worst-case scenario and ask the necessary questions. You won't regret it.
"Technology....the knack of so arranging the world that we need not experience it." -- Max Frisch, Homo Faber
Technology is amazing. We've advanced so far that sofware can do anything from a single task, like Find File does, to being able to organize complex projects like AppleWorks can do. Consequently, the options we face as consumers are sometimes daunting. I suggest that a basic approach is to purchase a program that suits your needs now but can easily be upgraded. For example, you may find that BBEdit Lite is sufficient to your present text editing needs. Eudora Lite may not come with bells and whistles but it will satisfy the requirements of most Internet users. At a later point, if necessary, upgrade to the respective product, such as BBEdit and Eudora Pro . Additionally, some programs are designed to work with others. A prime example of this is the integration between MS Word and Excel.
"Necessity never made a good bargain." -- Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Alamnac
While there are plenty of software programs designed to make our lives and work experiences easier, it doesn't mean we need to use them. I'm sure you can think of countless examples where it's more timely or easier to perform a task without the aid of a computer, dialing the phone for example. In the same way, a bread-making machine or a wine-making kit may make my culinary options more interesting, but do I really need them?
Does the amount of raw data, time, expense and labor involved support an application purchase? For example, while a computer calendar-maker can be customized, can you justify the time it will take to update it each time your schedule changes? Or is it easier to simply write the information down on a traditional calendar? Similarly, do you want to invest the time in learning a complicated word-processing or paint-shop program when there are programs available that offer a library of effects that will indeed satisfy your needs and with less of a learning curve? Only you can be the judge in such situations.
You can arrive at good decisions by asking yourself two questions:
"Since when was genius found respectable?" -- Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aurora Leigh
As a business consultant, I've seen companies that might as well be in the technological dark ages. I've also counselled firms that have become so obsessed with the pursuit of technology that they've lost sight of their original goals and objectives. Having said this, I must admit that I'm always on the lookout for faster, better, and more effective software. Yet, I'm a realist. Simply because the products are being hyped as the "latest" breakthrough doesn't mean I need it, nor does it mean that the purchase will make my life any easier. Furthermore, my budget can't sustain my desire for yet more software.
I recognize how easy it is to acquire a wide variety of products that do basically the same thing, with slight differences. Yet, it serves no real cause (other than to support the Mac development community) to upgrade each time a new version of "WidgetMaker", "The Idiot's Guide to Technological Blackholes", or such, is released. Likewise why acquire a product that duplicates the function of another piece of software you own? After all, how many accounting programs do you you need to tell you that you're over budget on software purchases?
If your software is serving you well at the moment, there is no need to jump into the proverbial technological black hole! Simple solutions are often the best. Pick up a pencil when your electrical supply experiences a sudden loss. Despite the loss of your computer, you'll be able to write your magnum opus ---without fear of losing data in the process. Now that's a technological wonder!
-- Sharon Hart