With such a typology in mind it is possible to identify criteria to apply in deciding which type of package best suits one's needs, either on a particular project or to meet the demands likely to arise over a period of several years.
Packages vary substantially and in several key respects.
Just as with research design in general, the guiding principle is to choose the right tool for the job. One also needs to know something about qualitative analysis before choosing a package. Another issue is whether one is engaged in team research or is working solo. These are important considerations but there are also user-related issues that should inform our choice of packages. Some let you type in your text directly, others require that it be typed in a word processor and then imported into the package.