Frequently these software packages are included when a person buys a new computer system. An integrated package is a huge program that contains a word processor, a spreadsheet, a database tool, and other software applications in the same program. (Don't worry if you don't know what a spreadsheet or a database is. We'll get there soon enough!) An integrated application package is kind of like a "Swiss army knife" of software.
The advantages of an integrated package derive from the fact that all the applications are part of the same program, and were written by the same company. It should be relatively easy to use the parts of an integrated package together. These programs tend to be smaller, older versions of larger programs, so they might be less complicated to use. Since they were presumably written together, they should all have the same general menu structure, and similar commands. (The command to save a file would be the same set of keystrokes in all the programs, for example.) Integrated packages are often designed with casual users in mind. This might make them easier to use than more robust programs. The word processor built into an integrated package is probably more powerful than a typical text editor. Integrated packages are often already installed on new computers, so they might not cost you any more than the original purchase price of the computer. The word processor on an integrated package will almost certainly give you some features you would not expect to find on plain text editors.
Integrated packages have some disadvantages. With the advent of graphic user interfaces and modern operating systems, programs have become more and more standard even if they were written by completely different companies. Almost every program for Windows uses Alt-F-S to save, for example. Also, as in the Swiss army knife analogy, the programmers had to make some compromises in order to make all the applications fit in one program. A Swiss army knife does contain a saw, but if you had to cut down a tree, wouldn't you rather use a real saw? The programs in an integrated package are usually stripped down or older versions of the company's high end software. They certainly have fewer features, and might be less friendly. Word processing programs that are part of integrated packages generally have their own special code for storing text information, although they can usually read and write ASCII as well. (However, if you choose to save in ASCII, you cannot save all the special formatting commands).
Common Integrated Packages: