A general-purpose application package is a type of software that can perform many different related tasks.

Word processors, spreadsheets, databases, graphics and presentation software are all examples of application packages.

This type of software is sometimes called generic software. This means, for example, that any one of the many different word processing packages that you could buy will all do the same general sorts of tasks as each other.

Most computer users buy application packages ‘off-the-shelf’. There are several good reasons for using this type of ready-made software.

• It is relatively cheap;
• It is readily available and can be installed quickly and easily;
• It will have been thoroughly tested so there will be very little chance of it having any serious faults or ‘bugs’;
• It will be well supported with a lot of books about how to use it available as well as on-line help and discussions on the Internet.

Common types of general purpose software

• Database packages (e.g. MS Access, Lotus Approach, Paradox) are used to store and retrieve information;
• Spreadsheet packages (e.g. MS Excel, Lotus 123) are used for tasks that involve a lot of calculations or for the production of graphs and charts;
• Word processing packages (e.g. MS Word, WordPerfect) are used to produce text based documents such as letters, reports and memos;
• Desktop publishing (DTP) packages (e.g. MS Publisher, PageMaker, PagePlus) are used to produce professional quality publications such as posters, books, newsletters, newspapers and magazines;
• Graphics packages (e.g. Paint, PaintBrush, Serif Draw, Corel Draw) are used to produce and manipulate artwork;
• Computer-aided design (CAD) packages (e.g. 2D-Design, AutoCAD, TurboCAD) are used to produce engineering designs and architectural plans;
• Communications software (e.g. Internet Explorer, Netscape Communicator) is used to access the Internet and send and receive e-mail;
• Presentation graphics packages (e.g. PowerPoint, Lotus Freelance) are used to create slide shows and presentations like this one which can be viewed on-screen or with a data or overhead projector;
• Web page editors (e.g. MS FrontPage, Macromedia Dreamweaver) are used to create Web pages.