Beginner Programs?

People frequently ask about beginner applications for something. It's not an easy question to answer.

My answer would be to tell the person asking about what application to get to think about how they use a computer. Do they have something out-of-the-box from the store and use it as it came? Or do they have a machine that they have loaded many different applications on?

I'm an application loader. That's why I own a computer. I want to use the applications I've loaded to do specific things. I've set up my computer the way I like, which is not the way it came out of the box. I don't ever want a beginner application. I'll outgrow it quickly and be annoyed at having wasted money on something that must now be removed and replaced with something else.

My husband is an out of the box person. For the most part, his computer is still set up the way it come out of the box. He's happy with beginner applications, if he even has them at all.

If you fall between the two types, and even if you can see yourself clearly as one or the other, you have to make your own decision. I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money.