11. Application Basics

Applications, which are also known as apps or programs, are computer software packages you use to get work done.

For example, if you sit down at your computer to write a letter, you’re likely doing it with a word processing application. If you spend some time browsing websites, you’re using a web browser application. And if you import photos from your camera onto your computer and then email one of them to a friend, you might be using a photo management app and an email app.

Without applications, a computer ...

Get OS X Mountain Lion: Visual QuickStart Guide now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.