Even with the best driver and color calibration software installed, a scanner won't be worth much until you've installed application software that actually does something with the data it collects. Although the world is full of programs that touch on scanning in one way or another, there are really only five types of applications that are important to getting the most out of your scanner.

For those scanning graphics, an image editor is essential. These programs allow users to manipulate the image files produced by a scanner, and can change anything from a single pixel to the nature of the whole image. On a basic level, they can be used to adjust brightness, contrast, color balance, and other image attributes. On a more advanced level, they can be used to replace or alter pixels so that the image is fundamentally different, as when a tree is removed from the background of a photo or the sky is changed from gray to blue.

Most scanner manufacturers bundle at least some kind of image editing software with their scanners, but the quality of what they supply varies widely. Some bundle the same applications found in software stores, while others include limited versions of those programs that are lacking some important advanced features.

The king of image editing programs is Adobe Photoshop, with CorelDraw running a close second on the Windows platform. Lately, the image editing market has seen a number of new challengers, including high-end programs like Xres and low-end programs like Color-It! and Photo Impact. Each is aimed at a different type of users, so study the image editor bundled with the scanners you are considering to determine if it's right for you.

Most scanner manufacturers also bundle in an entry-level optical character recognition (OCR) program. These applications specialize in taking an image containing text (for example, a scan of a typewritten letter) and converting it from a collection of pixels back into text that can be edited in a word processor.

Many of the leading manufacturers bundle ScanSoft OmniPage Limited Edition, but we're not going to do a commercial for that product here. The point is that these entry-level programs are a good introduction to OCR and may be all you require, but if you decide you'd like more advanced features you can upgrade at a low price. Advanced OCR products offer such features as greater accuracy and ease of use, the ability to retain page layouts, OCR proofreading, integration with leading word processors, and more. (Learn more about ScanSoft OmniPage.)

OCR programs are great for avoiding retyping. The best results require an original that's clean and easy to read and a typeface that doesn't contain too many embellishments. Faxes, degraded copies, documents with text on colored areas, documents with especially small or large type, and documents with unusual typefaces present special challenges that are best solved by advanced-level OCR products.

Those who dream of a paperless office will want to be sure to purchase a scanning setup that includes some sort of document management software. Applications of this type attempt to do what so many of us cannot: they collect and catalog various paperwork for quick access and compact storage.

An ideal document management program would automate the processes of organizing, filing and finding documents from every possible source, whether that source was a scanner, a disk, or the World Wide Web. The dream of a paperless office may never be completely realized, but good document management can reduce paperwork frustration and lead to higher productivity.

Scanner owners can convert scanned paper forms to electronic forms using forms conversion software. The advantages of electronic forms are many. They can be stored, filled out on line, sent via e-mail, and printed out on demand. Some programs also let users design forms from scratch, and embed intelligence such as field validation and automatic calculations. (Learn more about ScanSoft OmniForm.)

Although they are often overlooked, utilities designed for scanning are also an important part of what makes a scanner useful. These small programs are usually designed for just one task, and offer a wide variety of features that can enhance the capabilities of a given scanner. Among these many functions, though, two stand out as especially important: copying and faxing. The right utility can turn any combination of scanner and printer into a copy machine (even a color copy machine) by redirecting the data from the scanner directly to the printer for output. Likewise, a scanner and a fax modem can displace a traditional fax machine with the help of a fax utility that redirects the scanned data straight to the fax modem driver software. Though one-trick ponies, utilities of this type are worth their weight in gold, and should be standard accessories in every scanner bundle.