Apple IIe - Manual (Page 21)

Page 21 of 74 IIe
Printed: Tuesday, March 4, 2003 10:40:15 AM
Behind the Scenes
The best application programs don't require you to know anything about how the computer works.
Using them is as easy as using a typewriter or a toaster. You put the program disk in drive 1,
turn on the power, and follow the instructions on the screen, as you did with An Introduction.
But understanding how the computer works how application programs give the computer its
personality as a word processor or a spreadsheet, or how your memos, budgets, and personnel
records are stored inside the memory of the computer will boost your confidence and make you
more productive and playful with your Apple IIe.
Chapter 3 Summary
Application programs are programs designed for a particular purpose, such as budgeting,
financial planning, or cataloging your butterfly collection.
Popular Applications
Accounting: for automating your general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll,
and inventory.
Communications: exchanging information with other computers and computer services by phone.
Data Base: for keeping track of lists (addresses, inventories, collections).
Education: for learning.
Entertainment: for fun.
Graphics: for charts, graphs, drawings.
Home Finance: for budgeting, portfolio management, tax planning.
Spreadsheet: for financial planning.
Word Processing: for generating letters, reports, books.
Integrated Software: a collection of programs (usually word processing, data base, and
spreadsheet) designed to share data.
Industry-specific Software: programs designed for a particular audience (doctors, lawyers, and
pig farmers).
Chapter 4: The Inside Story
When you connected your disk drive to your Apple IIe, you popped the top and got your first
look at the integrated circuits, or chips, inside the computer.
In this chapter, you'll learn
what some of the chips do, and how they are used to process your data.
Start up The Inside Story to find out what makes your computer tick.
Here's a closer look at the components that put the Apple IIe through its paces.
The Microprocessor