Apple IIe - Manual (Page 16)

Page 16 of 74 IIe
Printed: Tuesday, March 4, 2003 10:40:15 AM
Most accounting software packages are designed around a general ledger. The other modules
(accounts receivable, for example) plug into the general ledger to allow automated posting.
This modular approach allows smaller businesses to start with a general ledger package alone
and add additional modules as they are needed.
Communications Software
With communications software and a modem, you can exchange messages with other computers and
information services over the phone lines.
Here are a few of the things you can do with communications software and a modem.
Access hundreds of data bases (called information services) each with a library's worth of
information.
Exchange mail with colleagues (who are similarly equipped with a computer, communications
software, and a modem).
Share business data with colleagues.
Transfer information between computers that would otherwise be incompatible.
Bank by phone.
Get information from the office's main computer while you work at home.
Get the latest stock quotes from an information service.
Shop by phone.
Receive public domain (free!) software from a computer bulletin board.
Besides letting you communicate with computers across the country, communications software lets
you communicate with computers across the room.
Information Services
There are two kinds of information services: general purpose information services, like The
Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service, The SourceSM, and CompuServe, and specialized services for
lawyers, journalists, stockbrokers, doctors, and others.
The Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service gives you up-to-the-minute information on 6000
corporations as well as current and historical stock quotes, money-market analysis and
forecasts, news highlights from The Wall Street Journal, and even movie reviews.
The Dow Jones service is one of the big three general purpose information services. The other
two are The Source and CompuServe. Like the Dow Jones service, The Source and CompuServe offer
news highlights and stock quotes, but business isn't their primary focus. With The Source and
CompuServe you can, for example, check airline schedules and make reservations, do your
shopping from computerized catalogs, do your banking, check the latest news, sports, weather
and movie reviews, exchange messages with other subscribers, and download (have the service
send you) public domain (free) software.
If you're interested in one of these information services, ask your dealer how you can
subscribe.
He can tell you how to get your user ID, your password, and the local phone number
of the information service that interests you.