What is the definition of word processing program

A word processor program is a computer program that provides word processing functions. Originally a separate type of application to desktop publishing, the two program types now overlap, with many word processors now including what were once desktop publishing functions.

HistoryEdit

The first known electronic word processor program was Electric Pencil, released in 1976, as a tool for programmers to write documentation and manuals for their code. Electric pencil featured basic formatting and navigation, and supported external devices such as cassette recorders and printers. Electric Pencil II was released shortly after, targeting the CP/M operating system. Several other word processing programs were released shortly after, including EasyWriter and WordStar.[1]

A screenshot of WordStar 3.0 in use

WordStar was created in four months by Seymour Rubinstein after founding MicroPro International in 1978. WordStar is commonly attributed as the first WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor, as the WordStar editor replicated the printed output. Inspired by the success of WordStar, many competitors began to release their offerings, including WordPerfect in 1979, MultiMate in 1982, and Microsoft Word in 1983.[1][2]

List of word processorsEdit

Notable programs include:

  • Electric Pencil (1976)
  • WordStar (1978)
  • WordPerfect (1979)
  • EasyWriter (1979)
  • IBM DisplayWrite (1981)
  • MultiMate (1982)
  • Volkswriter (1982)
  • Microsoft Word (1983)
  • Lotus Manuscript (1986)
  • TextMaker (1987)
  • Sprint (word processor) (1987)
  • IBM Lotus Word Pro (1988)
  • InPage (1994)
  • WordPad (1995)
  • TextEdit (1996)
  • Ability Write (1996)
  • KWord (1998)
  • AbiWord (1998)
  • Adobe InCopy (1999)
  • Atlantis Word Processor (2000)
  • Jarte (2001)
  • Pages (2005)
  • JWPce (2005)
  • Google Docs (2006)
  • Scrivener (software) (2007)
  • WordGrinder (2007)
  • PolyEdit (2010)
  • LibreOffice Writer (2011)
  • Apache OpenOffice Writer (2012)
  • Calligra Words (2012)

A word processing function is an essential part of any office suite, and may be provided as a stand-alone program (for example Word in Microsoft Office) or as a function of a more general program (for example LibreOffice Writer in LibreOffice) or other (for example
TextMaker in SoftMaker). With the emergence of the internet, different cloud-based word processor programs began to emerge, which allow people to work faster and more efficiently.

See alsoEdit

  • Word processor
  • Word processor (electronic device)

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ a b Bergin, Thomas J. (October 2006). «The Origins of Word Processing Software for Personal Computers: 1976-1985». IEEE Annals of the History of Computing. 28 (4): 32–47. doi:10.1109/MAHC.2006.76. ISSN 1934-1547. S2CID 18895790. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  2. ^ Bergin, Thomas J. (October 2006). «The Proliferation and Consolidation of Word Processing Software: 1985-1995». IEEE Annals of the History of Computing. 28 (4): 48–63. doi:10.1109/MAHC.2006.77. ISSN 1934-1547. S2CID 20785663. Retrieved 29 June 2022.

External linksEdit

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    Word Processing Software :
    The word “word processor” means it processes words with pages and paragraphs. Word processors are of 3 types which are electronic, mechanical, and software.

    The word processing software is used to apply the basic editing and design and also helps in manipulating the text to your pages whereas the word processor, is a device that provides editing, input, formatting, and output of the given text with some additional features.

    It is a type of computer software application or an electronic device. In today’s generation, the word processor has become the word processing software or programs that are running on general-purpose computers.

    Examples or Applications of a Word Processing Software :
     

    • Wordpad
    • Microsoft Word
    • Lotus word pro
    • Notepad
    • WordPerfect (Windows only),
    • AppleWorks (Mac only),
    • Work pages
    • OpenOffice Writer

    Features :
     

    1. They are stand-alone devices that are dedicated to the function.
    2. Their programs are running on general-purpose computers
    3. It is easy to use
    4. Helps in changing the shape and style of the characters of the paragraphs
    5. Basic editing like headers & footers, bullets, numbering is being performed by it.
    6. It has a facility for mail merge and preview.

    Functions :
     

    • It helps in Correcting grammar and spelling of sentences
    • It helps in storing and creating typed documents in a new way.
    • It provides the function of Creating the documents with basic editing, saving, and printing of it or same.
    • It helps in Copy the text along with moving deleting and pasting the text within a given document.
    • It helps in Formatting text like bold, underlining, font type, etc.
    • It provides the function of creating and editing the formats of tables.
    • It helps in Inserting the various elements from some other types of software.

    Advantages :
     

    • It benefits the environment by helping in reducing the amount of paperwork.
    • The cost of paper and postage waste is being reduced.
    • It is used to manipulate the document text like a report
    • It provides various tools like copying, deleting and formatting, etc.
    • It helps in recognizing the user interface feature
    • It applies the basic design to your pages
    • It makes it easier for you to perform repetitive tasks
    • It is a fully functioned desktop publishing program
    • It is time-saving.
    • It is dynamic in nature for exchanging the data.
    • It produces error-free documents.
    • Provide security to our documents.

    Disadvantages :
     

    • It does not give you complete control over the look and feel of your document.
    • It did not develop out of computer technology.

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    Contents

    • 1 Which is a word processing program?
    • 2 What is word processing simple definition?
    • 3 Is there a free program like Microsoft Word?
    • 4 Is Excel a word processing software?
    • 5 What is word processing Why is it used?
    • 6 What does word processing mean on a job application?
    • 7 Is word processor a system software?
    • 8 What documents can you create with Microsoft word?
    • 9 Can a word processing file be attached to an email?
    • 10 What are the main features of a word processor program?
    • 11 How businesses use word processing software?
    • 12 What is the difference between text editor and word processor?
    • 13 What are 3 advantages of word processing software?
    • 14 Why do computer users need word processors?
    • 15 What are the disadvantages of word processor?
    • 16 What are the applications of word processor?
    • 17 What is use of word processor in Class 10?
    • 18 What are the advantages of a word processor over typewriters?
    • 19 How does word processing software work?

    One example of a Word Processor is Microsoft Word, but other word processing applications are also widely used. Examples include: Microsoft Works Word Processor, Open Office Writer, Word Perfect and Google Drive Document.. but certainly not limited to) reports, letters, memos, newsletters and brochures.

    What is word processing simple definition?

    : the production of typewritten documents (such as business letters) with automated and usually computerized typing and text-editing equipment. Other Words from word processing Example Sentences Learn More About word processing.

    Is there a free program like Microsoft Word?

    SoftMaker FreeOffice is another great free suite that offers a full featured Microsoft Word alternative. … The entire suite is available for Windows, Linux, and Android, so you can keep your document processing tasks going even while away from your desktop.

    Is Excel a word processing software?

    Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer and WordPerfect are examples of word processing programs. … Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc and Lotus 1-2-3 are examples of spreadsheet programs. Like the word processing applications, each spreadsheet program can open files created in another application.

    What is word processing Why is it used?

    Word processing software is used to manipulate a text document, such as a resume or a report. You typically enter text by typing, and the software provides tools for copying, deleting and various types of formatting.

    What does word processing mean on a job application?

    Word processing describes creating or editing a document using a word processor, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or OpenOffice Writer. … Also, a person looking for a job could create a résumé using a word processor, then e-mail or print and mail it to job recruiters.

    Is word processor a system software?

    It is a type of computer software application or an electronic device. In today’s generation, the word processor has become the word processing software or programs that are running on general-purpose computers. Examples or Applications of a Word Processing Software : Wordpad.

    What documents can you create with Microsoft word?

    Word processing software can easily create, edit, store, and print text documents such as letters, memoranda, forms, employee performance evaluations (such as those in Appendix A), proposals, reports, security surveys (such as those in Appendix B), general security checklists, security manuals, books, articles, press …

    Can a word processing file be attached to an email?

    It is is possible to attach a file, such as a word-processing document, to an e-mail message. … Most current e-mail programs use a version of the Post Office Protocol called POP3.

    What are the main features of a word processor program?

    What are the main features of word processor?

    • Creating, editing, saving and printing documents.
    • Copying, pasting, moving and deleting text within a document.
    • Formatting text, such as font type, bolding, underlining or italicizing.
    • Creating and editing tables.

    How businesses use word processing software?

    You can use Word to create just about any kind of business document, including company reports, presentations, budgets, proposals and plans. It can help you build a library of key forms, such as invoices, statements, receipts, memos and agendas.

    What is the difference between text editor and word processor?

    A text editor is used solely to write and edit text. You can copy, cut, paste, undo and redo. … A word processor allows you to edit text in addition to multiple other functionalities such as text formatting (italic, bold, underline, etc.). In addition to that word processors allow automatic spelling and grammar checks.

    What are 3 advantages of word processing software?

    1) It is faster and easier than writing by hand. 2) You can store documents on your computer, which you cannot do on a typewriter. … 3) There are more formatting choices with a word processor (the spelling, grammar and language tools). 4) You can print copies of your documents.

    Why do computer users need word processors?

    A word processor is software or a device that allows users to create, edit, and print documents. It enables you to write text, store it electronically, display it on a screen, modify it by entering commands and characters from the keyboard, and print it. Of all computer applications, word processing is the most common.

    What are the disadvantages of word processor?

    If you want to write something down quickly, it can take more time to switch the computer on, open the word processor and set up the document. Sometimes pen and paper is faster.

    What are the applications of word processor?

    A word processor is an application that allows you to type in, edit, format, save, and print text. The text shows on screen the same or very similar to how it will appear in hard copy format. Word processors are commonly used by students, writers, authors, desktop publishing professionals and layout artists.

    What is use of word processor in Class 10?

    Answer: A Software or a computer that enables users to build, edit, and print documents is a word processor. It helps users to write text, save it electronically, show it on a computer, edit it by entering keyboard commands and characters, and print it out.

    What are the advantages of a word processor over typewriters?

    The advantage of a word processor over a typewriter are:

    • More efficient.
    • Documents can be modified and sent easily.
    • Spelling, as well as grammer, can be easily checked.
    • Images can be added.

    How does word processing software work?

    Word processing is a type of software that focuses on the ability to handle text. The computer does this by assigning each letter of the alphabet and each other character on the keyboard a specific numeric code. These numeric codes are translated into computer machine language, and stored in the computer’s memory.

    Home > monday workdocs > The complete guide to picking the best word processing software

    Since the invention of the typewriter, people have moved away from writing things out by hand in favor of word processing tools.

    Nowadays, it’s hard for people or businesses to get work done without an electronic word processor. Tons of options exist, from simple solutions to expansive programs with hundreds of features.

    Below, we’ll define in detail what a word processor is and briefly recount the history of this kind of software. Then, we’ll explore the benefits of using an online word processor and take a look at the key features your choice should come with.

    What is word processing software?

    Word processing software, also called word processors, are any computer programs or devices that let you input, delete, edit, adjust the formatting of, and generally manipulate text and data.

    German IBM typewriter sales executive Ulrich Steinhilper coined the term “word processing” in the 1950s.

    The most prominent example of a word processing program is Microsoft Word. Cloud-based apps like Google Docs are also popular because of their benefits, but we’ll discuss those later.

    As mentioned, word processing software forms the bedrock of most modern work and communications today.

    Without it, we’d still write by hand or, at best, use a typewriter.

    A brief history of the word processor

    Before word processing software, we had typewriters, which were considered the first word processors. The first recognizable typewriter was invented in the late 1800s by Christopher Latham Sholes.

    The first recognizable typewriter, created by Christopher Latham Sholes

    (Image Source)

    Here’s a fun fact: you can trace the lineage of word processors back to these machines — not computer programs.

    Throughout the 1960s, companies like IBM innovated by adding electronic features to mechanical typewriters. Then, software came along in the late 1970s and early 1980s — Electric Pencil being the first for home computers.

    A basic word processor program called WordStar dominated the market in the 1980s, but several competitors, including Microsoft Word, came along and unseated WordStar.

    MS Word eventually became the dominant program, alongside the rest of the Microsoft Office suite, thanks to the growing popularity of Windows OS throughout the 1990s.

    Many more innovations came along in the 2000s, such as formatting, spell checking, and even grammar checking features.

    But in 2006, the world changed with the first widely popular cloud-based word processing program, Google Docs.

    Google created Google Docs after acquiring Upstartle, the creator of cloud-based word processor Writely. At this point, you were no longer limited to your personal computer — you could work on documents from anywhere.

    Today, plenty of word processing programs, including Microsoft Word, have moved to the cloud.

    We also now have word processors built into larger cloud-based platforms, such as monday.com’s new Docs feature.

    Get started with monday.com

    Why should I get a cloud-based word processing solution?

    Throughout the 2000s, word processing software was generally desktop-based.

    Google’s acquisition of Upstartle began the explosion of cloud-based word processing programs.

    Today, cloud-based programs have plenty of benefits over traditional word processor tools. Here’s a look at 4 of the big ones:

    Availability

    Online word processors let you work from anywhere with the proper device and an internet connection. This is vital in the age of remote work.

    These cloud-based programs let you write, edit, comment, collaborate, and do other word processing tasks from anywhere — the office, home, your favorite coffee shop, or even the other side of the world.

    No need to have a computer, as most word processors offer mobile versions, too.

    Collaboration

    Traditional word processors only let one person on at a time.

    Collaboration in these programs involves tracking lots of changes and constantly sending emails between teammates.

    It’s really easy to lose the most updated version of a document in a sea of messages — not to mention the time wasted in sending so many emails and the inbox clutter.

    Cloud-based software eliminates this issue because multiple people can be in the same doc at once.

    Plus, features like commenting help teams communicate on specific items.

    ​​Leaving updates and comments on Doc items in monday.com

    Storage safety

    Everyone knows the pain of working on a document for hours just for the computer to freeze and realizing you hadn’t hit save.

    Yet, even if you do save, a crashing computer could result in you losing that document.

    In the past, you needed to routinely back up your computer or keep copies of documents on USB drives. Of course, it was pretty easy to lose those USB drives and find them later in your washing machine.

    These are no longer significant worries with the cloud at your back.

    Cloud-based programs store everything, well, in the cloud. No more lost or broken thumb drives.

    Many also autosave every time you make a change, so no need to worry about “I forgot to click save.”

    User interface and intuitiveness

    Many cloud-based word processing apps are designed with multiple devices and mobile apps in mind.

    The companies behind these, therefore, put intuitive UI at the forefront of their efforts during development.

    Programs like monday.com’s Docs don’t take too long to figure out, and everything is right where you’d expect it to be. They’re designed to make learning them simple and finding things quick.

    Plus, they come with plenty of documentation in case anything confuses you.

    What features should I look for in a modern word processor?

    Word processing is foundational to your ability to get work done. You shouldn’t take picking one for your organization lightly.

    Here are some features to look for:

    1. The actual word processing features

    First and foremost — your app should be excellent at its main job: word processing.

    Being able to type words on a page isn’t enough. You should have plenty of formatting and customization options at your fingertips.

    Here’s an example of text that someone is customizing the format of in monday.com’s Docs app:

    Customizing and formatting text in monday.com Docs

    Beyond that, being able to add video and images is key.

    In monday.com Docs, you can add and then customize these just like if they were text.

    An image in monday.com DocsCustomizing and formatting an image in monday.com Docs

    2. Cloud-based mobile app

    As mentioned before, you need cloud-based software to keep up today.

    The entire monday.com platform is cloud-based, so you can use our Docs feature to work on documents wherever you have a device and an internet connection.

    But what if you can’t access a computer while out of your office space? You might need to get onto the doc via your mobile phone or tablet.

    We thought of that. monday.com has apps for both iOS and Android devices.

    Here’s a quick view of monday.com’s mobile app UI:

    monday.com's mobile app's UI

    Get started

    3. Permissions

    Some docs you want visible to your entire organization. For example, company policy documents are best shared with everyone. Others may have sensitive information or are only pertinent for certain individuals or teams, making permissions a vital word processing feature.

    For example, if the marketing team is brainstorming an ad campaign, they may not need to share it with the operations team.

    Maybe they want sales to have a look, though, but without editing privileges.

    For situations like this, you want the ability to control who can view, edit, or comment on your documents.

    You also want control over sharing the docs, of course.

    monday.com offers 3 types of Docs depending on your needs, and you can always adjust sharing settings.

    For example, you can choose between a main, private, or shareable document upon Doc creation.

    The three types of docs in monday.com Docs

    4. Easy sharing and collaboration

    Speaking of permissions and sharing, your cloud-based word processing app should make collaboration seamless. That includes managing who’s on the doc and the actual collaborative work.

    In the monday.com Docs app, you can add teammates to your doc with a few button clicks.

    Adding members to a document in monday.com Docs

    Once all team members you need are in the doc, working on things together is pretty easy.

    To illustrate, here’s a brainstorming doc for a proposed marketing campaign that a marketing team is collaborating on in monday.com:

    A brainstorming document multiple people can collaborate on in monday.com Docs

    Notice the information in the top right corner. You can monitor who’s been in the doc, add more people as needed, leave comments, and much more.

    And, if you have ideas on how to make the app even better, there’s that “Give feedback” button sitting there as well.

    The word processor: a vital tool for success

    It’s hard to imagine a world without word processors. So much of what we do on and off the internet requires these programs.

    That said, the abundance of products can make it hard to choose. You have plenty of standalone options — but it’s even better to get a Work OS that integrates your word processing capabilities alongside the rest of your workflow.

    Thanks to monday.com’s new Docs app, that’s entirely possible. It only takes one click to activate, too. Try monday.com free for 14 days to see what it’s all about.

    Get started

    word_processing, software, review, technical_writingWhat is a Word Processor?

    You might have heard the widely thrown around term of ‘paperless office’ or ‘paperless environment’. Although we’re still a long way off from realizing that dream, but there are instances where paper as such is no longer required to any type of official business level communication.

    Most of the credit for this definitely goes to word processor programs and applications that help employees put in their communication through digital means. Not only have such word processors allowed for quick and easy communication internally (or externally) within an organization but also has helped improve effectiveness and efficiency of a workplace – since waiting times have been reduced drastically.

    So before we dive deep into the different types of word processors available in the market, let’s have a look at how it all began.

    The History of Word Processor – How It All Began?

    Take today’s word processors as an extension or an evolved form of a type writer. Originally marketed back in 1867, a manual typewriter was first introduced in to the market by a gun manufacturing company.

    The first phase of this evolution involved electric typewriters, which could be used for typing of letters automatically while adding/removing specific letters in case of any corrections.

    Automatic Typewriters

    This was as ‘automatic’ as you could get – a type writer person would manually type something, then proof read it for any mistakes. Once he/she was satisfied, a final re-type would be needed to actually finish the document.

    The operators in charge of these word processors were trained typists, who had to be very careful with specifics of a page like orientation, line spacing, page width and all of these details had to be taken into consideration manually. Later on, change in font was added as a new feature enjoyed by some of the leading newspaper agencies for their print production and newsletters. The default ‘typing ball’ font slowly was replaced by a collection of changeable fonts.

    From Typewriters to Word Processors

    At that time, there were no personal computers. Machines would specifically be built for the purpose of word processing. Rather than evolving through ideas of mathematicians and computer geeks, the word processor was in fact born out of the necessity of writers. Later on, as the computers started to trickle down into our personal lives did we see word processors integrated with the personal computer.

    As such, the actual introduction of word processing software that we see today is not marked for sure with a historical timeline. But it’s safe to say that with the mass division of personal computers and printers in the early 1990’s, typewriters as such were fully replaced with dedicated word processing software and programs rather than having to resort to separate machines for typing text on to paper.

    Let us fast forward to present time and see what exactly are Word Processors used for nowadays.

    Word Processors – What Are They Used For?

    In a contemporary office (or a professional) environment, a word processing software is used to create documents and reports like for example a resume or a marketing proposal. Text is entered by typing letters using a keyboard on to a software that takes care of the functions of editing, copying, pasting, deleting and other formatting methods.

    Features of a Word Processor

    Some of the basic features of a word processor includes:

    • Copying, editing, saving and printing reports and documents
    • Copying, deleting, pasting, and shifting text within a certain page/document
    • Formatting of text like changing size (font size), italicizing (italics), bolding (bold) or strikethroughs and underlines
    • Formatting tables (drawing/inserting rows and columns to make full-fledged tables)
    • Placing pictures, graphs and all sorts of illustrations within and around the text document
    • Correction of spelling mistakes and a fully functioning dictionary in most cases

    Word processing software should not be confused with simple text editors. Text editors (like Window’s Notepad) can also allow you to type in text with a few basic formatting inputs but don’t have the more advanced features like underlining, different fonts, adding pictures and graphs etc.

    Top Three Popular and Best Word Processors

    So let us now look at what word processors are the best options available out there in the market. We will start off with the most popular one as of yet; Microsoft Word.

    Microsoft Word

    Microsoft Word, word_processor, ms_word, word_2013Microsoft Word is hands down the most popular of all word processing software out there. According to the company Microsoft itself, the estimation is that around half a billion people on this planet currently use Microsoft Word for the purpose of word processing. It is therefore no surprise that 90 percent of the word processing market share is captured by Microsoft Word.

    Originally introduced to the public back in the year 1989, the current version of Microsoft Word has seen numerous updates (multiple times each year) and comes as a package with the suite of Office applications along with PowerPoint, Publisher, Excel, and Outlook.

    WordPerfect

    WordPerfect, word_processor, softwareIf you ask someone knowledgeable in the computer industry to name a software other than Microsoft Word itself, the word WordPerfect will be the obvious answer. More suited towards writing short essays and quick articles, WordPerfect best strength is its compatibility with Microsoft Word. A bit ironic but it definitely does the trick when you need to open up WordPerfect documents with Microsoft Word.

    Lotus Word Pro

    Lotus Word Pro, word_processor, software, word_processingIf your office computers are integrated on Lotus portal, then Lotus Word Pro is your ideal for all your needs. Lotus Word Pro can be connected with all your Lotus applications to produce properly formatted documents. Although it’s produced and distributed by IBM Corporation, it’s also compatible with Windows based programs particularly Microsoft Word.

    Author: Bilal Ibrar

    A marketing graduate with a passion for writing on topics related to social media, technology and business in general. Hobbies include gaming, animation and motorsports

    Goals

    • Students will recognize the major types of word processing programs.
    • Students will discriminate the types of problems that are best solved
      with various types of word processors.
    • Students will recognize the major tools that are available in word
      processor application programs.
    • Students will use a text editor to create and modify a simple ASCII
      text file.
    • Students will use a high end word processing program to practice
      common text formatting problems.

    Prereqs

    • Comfort with the keyboard and mouse
    • Experience with the STAIR process for solving problems
    • Familiarity with principles of data encoding
    • Familiarity with differences between hardware and software
    • Understanding of the attributes of RAM
    • Familiarity with operating systems, file names and directories

    Discussion

    Word processing is one of the most common applications for computers
    today. It would be difficult to spend a day in a modern office or
    university without coming into contact with a word processing program.
    Most people have had some contact with word processing. We shall
    examine the concept in some detail, so you will be familiar with a
    number of levels of word processing software applications, the types
    of tools such programs make available to you, and so you will know
    what kinds of problems are best solved with this type of program.

    How Word Processors Work

    The advantages of word processing programs can best be illustrated by
    thinking of some of the disadvantages of typewriters. When we use a
    typewriter to create a document, there is a direct connection between
    the keys and the paper. As soon as you press a key on the keyboard,
    there is an impact on the paper, and the document has been modified.
    If you catch a mistake quickly, you can fix it with correction tape or
    white-out. If your mistake is more than one character long, it is
    much harder to fix. If you want to add a word, move a
    paragraph, or change the margins, you have to completely retype the
    page. Sometimes this necessitates changes on other pages as well. A
    one word change could lead to retyping an entire document.

    Word processing is a type of software that focuses on the ability to
    handle text. The computer does this by assigning each letter of the
    alphabet and each other character on the keyboard a specific numeric
    code. These numeric codes are translated into computer machine language,
    and stored in the computer’s memory. Because the information is in memory,
    it is very easy to change and manipulate. This is the key to the
    success of word processing.

    Example

    Information in memory can be moved very quickly and easily. If we
    want to change a word in a document, what happens in the computer is
    something like this:

    Imagine Darlene has started out her resume with the following word:

    REUME
    

    Obviously she has forgotten a letter. If she were using a typewriter,
    the page would be trashed, and she would have to start over. Since
    this is a word processor, Darlene can manipulate the memory containing
    codes for the word «REUME» and add the «S» to it. When she tries, the
    following things happen:

    She moves her cursor to the spot in the text where she wants the S to
    show up. The «cursor» is a special mark on the screen that indicates
    at which place in the document the computer is currently focused. In this
    case, Darlene wants to put an S between the E and the U. Her word
    processor won’t let her put the cursor between two letters (although
    some will), so she puts it on the U.

    By moving the cursor, Darlene is telling the program to move around in
    memory as well. When she place her cursor on the U on the screen, she
    is telling the program to point to the corresponding spot in the
    computer’s memory. The computer is now concentrating on the memory
    cell that contains the code for the character «U».

    She checks to be sure she is in insert mode (more on that later),
    and she types the letter «S».

    When Darlene does this, the computer shifts all the letters one memory
    cell to the right, and inserts the code for the S in its proper
    place.

    Word processors and RAM

    It sounds like a lot is happening. That’s true, but computers do all
    these things so quickly that it seems instantaneous to us. You don’t
    really have to know exactly where the stuff is in memory, or how it
    gets moved around. The important thing to understand is that all the
    information in your document is stored in some kind of digital
    format in the computer’s memory. When you modify a document, you are really
    modifying the computer’s memory. A word processing program handles
    all the messy memory manipulation, so all you have to do is concentrate
    on writing your paper.

    RAM (Random Access Memory), where all the action is happening, has
    one serious drawback. It only lasts as long as the computer is receiving
    electrical power. Obviously this will cause some problems, because you
    can’t just carry a computer around to show people your documents.
    (Imagine the extension cord!) You also might run into some serious
    problems if your computer were suddenly hit by a monsoon or something,
    and you lost electrical power. In short, you cannot count on RAM memory
    alone.

    Word processing programs (as well as almost every type of program) are
    designed to allow you to copy your information. Computer scientists
    refer to the information your program is using as data. The data in
    RAM can easily be duplicated to floppy disks or a hard drive. This is
    called saving. Copying the data from RAM to a printer is called
    printing. You can also copy data from other places to RAM. Copying the data
    from the disk is referred to as loading the data. You might already
    know what saving and printing are. We don’t mean to insult you by
    telling you again. We just want to illustrate that it all boils down
    to copying binary information to and from RAM.

    Types of Word Processing Programs

    There are many flavors of word processing programs. Different
    programs are better for different types of jobs. One common problem
    is deciding which program you will use to do a certain type of job.
    It is important to know your options.

    Text Editors

    The simplest programs that do word processing are known as text
    editors. These programs are designed to be small, simple, and cheap.
    Almost every operating system made has at least one built in text
    editor. Most text editors save files in a special format called
    ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange — Whew!)
    ASCII is a coding convention that almost all computers understand.
    Each letter is assigned a numeric value that will fit in eight digits
    of binary notation. «a» is 97 in ASCII, and «A» is 65. All the
    numeric digits, and most punctuation marks also have numeric values in
    ASCII. You certainly don’t need to memorize all the codes, (That’s
    the text editor’s job.) but you should recognize the word « ASCII».
    The biggest advantage of this scheme is that almost any program
    can read and write ASCII text.

    Text editors can be wonderful programs. The biggest advantage is the
    price. There is probably already one or more installed on your
    computer. You can find a number of text editors for free on the
    Internet. Text editors are generally very easy to learn. Since they don’t
    do a lot of fancy things, they are generally less intimidating than
    full fledged word processor packages with all kinds of features.
    Finally, text editors are pretty universal. Since they almost all use
    the ASCII standard, you can read a text file written on any text
    editor with just about any text editor. This is often not the case
    when using fancier programs.

    The ability to write ASCII text is the biggest benefit of text
    editors. ASCII is also the biggest disadvantage of most text editors.
    It is a very good way of storing text information, but it has no way
    of handling more involved formatting. Text editors generally do not
    allow you to do things like change font sizes or styles, spell
    checking, or columns. (If you don’t know what those things are, stay
    tuned. We will talk about them later in this chapter.)

    Text editors aren’t all simple, though. Text editors are actually the
    workhorses of the computing world. Most computer programs and web
    pages are written with specialized text editors, and these programs
    can be quite involved. You won’t need to learn any hard-core text editors
    for this class, but you may end up learning one down the road.

    If all you want to do is get text written, and you aren’t too
    concerned about how fancy it looks, text editors are fine. (In fact,
    this book was written entirely in emacs, a unix-based text editor.)

    Common text editor programs:

    • Windows: Notepad
    • Macintosh: SimpleText
    • Linux: vi, emacs
    • Multi-platform: notepad++, jedit, synedit, many more

    Integrated Packages

    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:

    • Microsoft Works
    • Lotus Works
    • Claris Works

    Today the trend is to package all the high-level programs together, so
    MS-Office and OpenOffice.org both contain fully-featured Word
    Processors, Databases, Spreadsheets, and more.

    High-End Word Processors

    Word processing programs have evolved a great deal from the early
    days of computing. A modern word processing program can do many
    things besides simply handling text.

    Since the early ’90s, most word processors feature a WYSIWYG
    interface. WYSIWYG (pronounced «whizeewig») stands for «What You See
    Is What You Get.» This means that the screen will look reasonably
    like the printed document. This feature is important because the
    real strength of word processors is in the formatting they allow.
    Formatting is the manipulation of characters, paragraphs, pages, and
    documents. Most of the word processor features we will discuss below
    are various ways of formatting the text, or changing the way it looks
    on the page. Formatting was possible before WYSIWYG, but it required
    more imagination from the writer, because you couldn’t see the effects
    of the formatting until you printed out the document.

    Modern word processors also are designed to have numerous features for
    advanced users. Since a large portion of most people’s computer time
    is spent with a word processing program, it is important that these
    programs have features to make editing documents easier. Some of the
    additional features that one can expect to find on a modern word
    processor are spelling and grammar checkers, ability to handle
    graphics, tables, and mathematical formulas, and outline editors. The
    word processing market is a very competitive one, and the major
    software companies are always competing to have the word processor
    with the most advanced features available.

    Software companies are also interested in making their programs as
    easy to learn as possible. With this goal in mind, most word
    processors come with tutorial programs, extensive on-line help, and
    clear menus.

    These full featured word processors sound wonderful, and they are.
    You might wonder if they have any drawbacks. Of course they do.
    Word processing programs as have been described often cost hundreds of
    dollars. The cost seems prohibitive for something that doesn’t even
    have a physical presence! Many of the features of full-fledged
    word processors are not needed by casual users. Sometimes the sheer
    number of unneeded features can be intimidating. Using a full-power
    word processor just to write a couple of letters a week is like
    killing flies with a chain saw. You simply might not need that much
    power to do the job properly. High end word processing programs
    almost always save documents in special proprietary codes rather than
    as ASCII code. This means the programs can save all the special
    formatting that ASCII cannot handle (like font sizes, columns,
    graphics, and so on.) It also means that if you write a document in
    WordPerfect, you may not be able to read it in Word. Even
    different versions of the same program might not be able to read each
    other’s documents directly. There are ways you can work around this
    problem, but you should know it exists.

    High-end Word Processing Packages:

    • WordPerfect
    • Microsoft Word
    • OpenOffice.org Write

    Ironically, there is now a trend away from WYSIWYG towards
    «semantic markup.» The idea is not to put all the formatting details
    in place, but to explain the meaning of the text in the document. The
    actual markup of each meaning is defined in a separate document. For
    example, here’s the semantic markup of this paragraph:

    <p class = "update">
    Ironically, there is now a trend away from WYSIWYG towards
    "semantic markup."  The idea is not to put all the formatting details
    in place, but to explain the meaning of the text in the document. The
    actual markup of each meaning is defined in a separate document.  For
    example, here's the semantic markup of this paragraph:
    </p>
    

    In another part of the document I describe how to format «updates»:

      .update {
        border: 1px black solid;
        background-color: #FFFFCC;
        padding-left: .5em;
      }
    

    It’s completely OK if you don’t understand any of the code. The
    important idea is how markup can be separated from meaning.

    Desktop Publishing

    Another classification of programs you should know about has an
    uncertain future. These programs are called desktop publishing
    applications. Desktop publishing takes text that has already been
    created, and applies powerful formatting features to that text.
    Traditionally, applications that allowed the integration of text and
    graphics, and allowed the development of style sheets were thought of
    as desktop publishing. Such a program makes it easy to create other
    kinds of documents rather than just plain pages. With a desktop
    publisher, there are already style sheets developed to help you create
    pamphlets, cards, signs, and other types of documents that you wouldn’t
    be able to create on a typewriter.

    The higher end word processing programs give you most of the features
    you could want in a desktop publishing program. It is possible to do
    many of the same things. Desktop Publishers are still very popular in
    certain specialty fields (graphic arts, printing, and publishing,) but
    the effects can be duplicated with skillful use of a word processing
    program.

    Common Desktop Publishing programs:

    • Pagemaker
    • Microsoft Publisher

    Sign / Banner Programs

    Another level of desktop publishing that has become very popular is
    the advent of specialty printing programs such as «The Print Shop» or
    «Print Master +». These programs are designed specifically to help the
    user create signs, banners, and greeting cards. They are very easy to
    use, and much less expensive than full-feature desktop publishing
    applications, but again the effects can be duplicated with a higher
    end word processor.

    How Do You Choose Which Word Processor You Use?

    As always, the critical question is: «What kinds of problems are you
    trying to solve?» For most beginners, the lower end word processor
    that came with their computer is a fine start. If it does what you
    need, and you are happy with it, don’t spend money unnecessarily.
    Many people find that if they do a lot of writing, they begin to yearn
    for the features of a more powerful word processing program. As you
    gain experience, you will find a favorite program and learn its
    commands and idiosyncrasies well. You will find if you concentrate on
    the concepts, that all word processors of a certain level are pretty
    much the same, although the exact layout and command structure may
    differ. You will also probably discover if you do a lot of writing
    with the computer that you have several programs you use
    interchangeably. A skilled computer user often chooses the program to
    solve a specific problem much like a golfer chooses a different club
    for each type of shot. Sometimes a text editor is sufficient, and
    sometimes only the best, most powerful, and most expensive program
    will do the job properly. Learning what is best for you is part of
    the process.

    Layout of Word Processors

    Word processing programs of any type usually share the most basic
    features. They universally reserve most of the screen for the text
    being edited. Most word processing programs also contain a
    menu structure with most of the programs commands available in a
    hierarchical organization scheme. Many word processors have graphic
    toolbars with icons representing the most critical commands. Almost
    all such programs have scroll bars or some other mechanism for
    allowing the user to move around in large documents. All word
    processors also have a cursor, which is usually a small box or line,
    which shows the user where in the document she is currently typing.

    Commands Available In Most Word Processing Programs:

    Different types of word processing programs will have different
    commands available. Generally, text editors have the fewest commands.
    More complex programs often start with the same types of commands and
    add to them. Commands may be available in a number of ways; by
    locating them on the menu system, by looking up shortcut keys, or by
    pressing an icon on a graphic tool bar. If in doubt, utilize the
    on-line help to locate the command you want.

    File Handling Commands

    Any level of text editor or word processor will have commands to save,
    load, and print your text. These commands are so frequent that you
    will usually see many ways to invoke them.

    Save Document
    Allows you to save your document onto some kind of disk.
    If you have already saved this document at least once, it will save
    the document to the same drive, directory, and file name you used last
    time. Saving a document really means making a copy of the codes in
    memory that represent the document, and copying those codes onto a
    disk file. If you have never given this document a name, a Save
    command often acts like a Save As. (see below) You might also look for
    a Write command, a picture of a disk, or a Save As command.
    Save As…
    Often you will see this command in addition to a save command. There
    is a subtle difference between the two commands. Save As {it always}
    asks you for the name and location of your file. Most of the time,
    the Save command does not ask for this information. If the Save
    command does not know what to call the file (because you have never
    saved it before) it will automatically invoke a Save As. The only
    time you absolutely must use a Save As is when you want to load a
    file, make some changes to it, and save it as a NEW file with a
    DIFFERENT name. If you use the Save command, the new changes will be
    written on top of the old document. With Save As, you can force the
    changed document to be in a new file. This really doesn’t happen very
    much. Many people spend their whole lives using nothing but Save.
    Load or Open
    You will almost always see a command that allows you to open or load a
    document. These terms usually mean the same thing. You will usually
    get some sort of a dialog box asking you for the directory and file
    name of a text document, and the program goes to the disk, grabs the
    file, and loads it into the editing area of the screen. (Actually, it
    loads the file into memory, and then shows a copy of the memory onto
    the screen.)
    Print
    A print command takes the document and copies it to the printer.
    Obviously, for this to work, you must have a printer attached to your
    machine. There are occasional variations to this command. You might
    get a dialog box that asks you which pages to print, how many copies you
    want, which printer you want to use (if more than one is set up on
    your computer), and so on. You might also see a Print Preview command
    that shows a picture of what the page will look like when printed.
    This is especially useful when you are using a program that does not
    support WYSIWYG.

    Editing Commands and Block Manipulation

    There are a number of commands you will find on nearly any word
    processor that enable you to manipulate text in special ways.
    Frequently you will find these commands on an Edit menu. The editing
    commands are based on a concept called block manipulation.

    Block manipulation simply means taking a «chunk» of text and marking
    it in some way so it can be treated as one unit. Once a block of text
    is marked as such, it can be deleted or manipulated easily.

    Marking a Block
    Many modern programs allow you to mark a block of text with the mouse.
    Simply point the mouse at the beginning of the text you want to mark,
    hold down the mouse button, and drag to the end of the block. You
    will probably see the text you have dragged over change color. Some
    programs put highlighted text in inverse video. Many programs also
    allow you to select text with the Shift key and the arrow keys in
    combination. This is sometimes more precise than the mouse
    techniques. Some older programs require you to move the cursor to the
    beginning of the text, mark it as the beginning of a block, move to
    the end of the text you want to manipulate, and mark it as the end of
    the block. Learn how your program does it. It is worth the effort.
    Copying a Block
    You will usually find some kind of command called Copy. It only works
    after you have marked a block of text. Copy by itself doesn’t do
    anything on the screen, but it is still a very important command.
    What it does is to take the block of text and make a copy of it in a
    special part of memory called the clipboard (or sometimes the buffer).
    The copy command does not change the original text; it just places a
    copy of the text in the clipboard.
    Cutting a Block
    Cutting is very similar to copying. You must start by marking a block
    of text. When you activate a cut command, the original block will
    disappear. It isn’t gone forever, though. A copy of it has been made
    in the clipboard.
    Pasting a Block
    The paste command doesn’t make much sense until you have cut or copied
    a block of text into the clipboard. The paste command copies the
    contents of the clipboard into the document at whatever point the
    cursor was sitting when the paste command was activated.
    How Block Manipulation Works
    These commands really need to be used together to be useful. Which
    ones you use depend on the kind of problem you are trying to solve.
    If you had to write «I will not talk out in class» 100 times, you
    might write the phrase once, mark it as a block, copy it, and then
    paste it 99 times.

    If you have written a document and realize that the last line really
    belongs at the beginning of the document, you might mark the line you
    want to move as a block, cut the block move the cursor to the
    beginning of the document, and activate the paste command.

    Formatting Commands

    Another set of commands are found less frequently on text editors, but
    are common on higher-level word processors. These commands are for
    formatting various elements of a document. You may find a format
    menu. Many of these commands also are available on toolbars.

    Formatting a Character

    A character is one letter or other symbol. There are many ways to
    format characters in word processing programs. It is possible to make
    characters bold, italic, underlined, or perhaps some other attribute.
    Not all word processors will do all these things, but most will do
    bold, italic, and underline. Often you activate the command by
    choosing it from a menu, clicking on a toolbar icon, or activating a
    key sequence. Once you have started the command, anything you type
    will be typed in that style. When you want to go back to standard
    letters, you activate the same command again. Commands that turn off
    and on like this are called toggles, because they are reminiscent of
    toggle switches. Many word processors allow you to enter the text
    without any format, then to select a set of characters as a block
    (like you did to copy and paste), then to activate the command.
    Experiment with your word processor to see how it works.

    Word processors that feature WYSIWYG frequently support the use of
    fonts. A font is defined in computing as a combination of a special
    character set and type size. In the typewriter world, you were pretty
    much stuck with the size and style of letters the typewriter came
    with. Some of the later typewriters had the characters on a ball you
    could change, but you still had very little control of exactly how the
    letters looked. In a modern word processing application, you have a
    great deal of control. You can choose different type faces that look
    like script, handwriting, Old English, or whatever. After you have
    chosen a basic look for your letters, you can choose what size the
    letters are.

    Fonts are measured by typesetters in points. 72.25 points is
    equivalent to an inch. Most standard text is 10 points. A newspaper
    headline might be 200 points. You may be able to control other
    attributes of each letter, such as its color, a shadow, and other advanced
    features.

    Formatting Paragraphs}

    Most writing is organized into paragraphs. These divisions make a
    document easier to read. There are ways you can control how
    paragraphs look on the screen. You can control how your program
    handles indention. You can often force the computer to indent the
    first line of every paragraph automatically. You can also frequently
    control the line spacing inside the paragraph, the amount of spacing
    between paragraphs, and the justification.

    Justification refers to how the text is lined up between the margins.
    Most documents created with a typewriter or word processor are
    left-justified. That means that the left margin is lined up perfectly, but
    the right margin is a little ragged. The computer keeps track of the
    right margin for you when you use a word processor, so you don’t have
    to press the «Enter» key at the end of every line (in fact you
    shouldn’t press «Enter» at the end of every line. The only time you
    should press «Enter» is when you want to end a paragraph!) The
    automatic process the computer uses to send text to the next line is
    called word wrap. If you want to have the right margin line up
    cleanly, but let the left one be a little ragged (Maybe as you type
    the return address and date of a business letter) you can choose a
    right justify command. If you look at books and magazines, you will
    see that both the right and left columns are justified. Many word
    processors will allow you to justify both margins. This works by
    adjusting the amount of space between letters and words so the margins
    work out perfectly. The computer does it automatically when you ask
    it to do so. Another form of justification is centering. When you
    center a line, you tell the program to give it equal left and right
    margins, regardless of the length of the line. Centering is useful
    for headlines, but is often distracting when used for body text.

    The other major element of a document is the page. There are some
    page formatting commands you should be able to find in any word
    processor as well. You will probably have some way to adjust the
    margins of the page. Note that there are top and bottom margins, as
    well as left and right margins.

    You can also frequently find some kind of header/footer command.
    Headers and footers are special areas at the top and bottom,
    respectively, of the page. These areas are not used for regular text,
    but reserved for special things like a title at the top of every page,
    page numbers, and footnotes. You will have to experiment a little
    to see how your word processor handles these features, but they are
    well worth learning. You will never go back to the old way of writing
    footnotes once you have mastered using footers to automate the
    process.

    One more page formatting command you might find useful is page
    orientation. Many word processors allow you to choose how information
    is printed on the page. The «up and down» orientation we are used to
    seeing on typewritten documents is called portrait mode. (If you
    think about painted portraits, they are usually up-and-down rectangles.)
    When your document is printed «sideways» it is referred to as landscape
    mode. (Landscape paintings are often oriented in this way.)

           __________
           |  ___   |       ________________
           | /o o  |       |              |
           ||  L  | |       |    /WWW     |
           ||___/| |       |  /          |
           |    /  |       |/            |
           |_/_____|       |______________|
           Portrait             Landscape
             mode                 mode
    

    Most of the time you should use portrait mode, but sometimes landscape
    mode is appropriate, especially when you are doing something special
    like tables, graphics, or fancy desktop publishing.

    Commands Found in More Advanced Programs

    High-End Formatting Tools

    There are a few more elaborate formatting tools generally found
    only in the higher end word processors. These tools border on desktop
    publishing, and allow you better control of your document. You
    probably won’t use them every day, but they are wonderful when you
    need them.

    Tables
    On a typewriter, creating a table required judicious use of the TAB
    key and very careful planning. Most advanced word processors allow
    you to create tables very easily. You can usually select the number
    of rows and columns, change the size and format of rows and columns,
    and easily copy and paste specific cells. The table tool is worth
    learning.
    Columns
    Sometimes you will want to have a page formatted into two or more
    vertical columns. This was quite tedious on a typewriter, but there
    is usually some kind of tool to make column creation easier on a
    modern word processor.
    Lists
    You will frequently find tools for making lists. Lists can have
    automatic numbering (like an outline) or each list item might have a
    small icon marking, called a bullet. Most modern word processing
    programs have some kind of tool to make list management easier.
    Graphics
    Most high-end word processing programs enable you to incorporate
    graphics into text documents with relative ease. Often they
    incorporate small painting programs so you can generate your own
    graphics as well. To make graphics and text easier to work with, many
    word processing programs include frames, which are boxes on the screen
    that can hold text and graphics. When you mix text and graphics on a
    page, you may want to investigate frames in the on-line help so you can
    have more control over how the text and graphics interact.

    Composition Tools

    Many word processors have other advanced features that help a writer
    with the mechanics of writing properly. These tools can be
    instrumental in avoiding common writing mistakes.

    Spell Checking
    A spell checker is a program that looks at a document and compares
    each word in the document to an electronic dictionary. If it finds
    the word in the dictionary, it moves on to the next word. If it does
    not find the word, it stops and asks the user for guidance. Good
    spell checkers try to guess what word the user was trying to type and
    make suggestions. Even if you are a very good speller, you should get
    in the habit of running your materials through a spell checker. It is
    a quick and relatively painless way to keep typos from marring your
    paper.

    Keep in mind that spelling checkers are not perfect, and they cannot
    catch every mistake. The following poem excerpt points out the
    problem:

    				Ode To The Spell Checker
    
                                 I have a spelling checker. 
                                  It came with my PC. 
                              It plane lee marks four my revue, 
                               Miss steaks aye can know sea. 
                                Eye ran this poem threw it, 
                                Your sure reel glad two no. 
                               Its vary polished in it's weigh, 
                                My checker tooled me sew. 
    
        

    (This poem can be found in its entirety at:
    http://selma.ucd.ie/~pdurkin/Jokes/spellcheck.html It is attributed
    to Jerry Zar, the Dean of the Graduate School, NW Ill. U)

    Grammar Checkers
    There are also tools available on most high end word processors that
    will check your grammar for common mistakes. Grammar checkers are
    wonderful at catching mechanical problems like incomplete sentences
    and subject-verb agreement. Grammar tends to be more subjective
    than spelling, so the advice of a grammar checker might or might not
    be useful to you. It is worth running to check your mistakes, but it
    will never replace the lessons you learned from your English teachers
    or a skilled editor. When grammar checkers first came on the market,
    a reporter tried testing the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln.
    The program gave the speech extremely poor marks. Many people
    consider it to be one of the most beautiful passages of American
    English ever. Use a grammar checker if you have one, but also use
    your judgment.
    Outline Editors
    These features allow you to organize your thoughts in outline format.
    The advantage is that you can choose to see only your main ideas or
    headings, and have all the text hidden. This feature allows you to
    move the main headings around and all the text associated with the
    headings will automatically move appropriately. If you are going to
    do term papers or other serious writing, you should investigate this
    feature.

    Vocabulary/Important Ideas

    Word Processing
    A type of software that specializes in handling text. Word processing
    programs typically contain commands for handling and formatting text
    documents.
    Insert/Overwrite Modes
    Most word processors allow you to choose one of these modes. When you
    are in {bf insert} mode, any text you type is inserted into the
    document at the cursor position. {it Overwrite} mode also types text
    at the cursor position, but it writes over the top of existing text,
    much like a typewriter with correcting tape. Most experienced word
    processor users prefer insert mode for most of their work.
    Text Editors
    A classification of word processing software characterized by its low
    cost, ready availability, tendency to work only in ASCII format, and
    inability to do high-powered formatting.
    ASCII
    American Standard C}ode for Information
    Interchange. A standard convention used to encode text, numbers, and
    common punctuation in numeric format so they can be stored in a
    computer’s memory. Nearly all computers and programs can work with
    some form of ASCII. Text editors are designed especially to work with
    ASCII-based documents.
    Integrated Packages
    Programs that contain all the major applications within one «super
    application». These programs are useful, but often lack some of the
    more advanced features of full-fledged application packages.
    WYSIWYG
    What You See is What You Get.
    A capability often found on higher-level word processing
    programs. The screen mimics the output of the printer, so the typist
    can see pretty much what the final output of the document will be.
    Proprietary
    The term {it proprietary} is frequently used when discussing software to
    denote a certain idea that is particular to a specific brand of
    software. When a program uses a proprietary scheme to save word
    processing documents, for example, other programs may not be able to
    read these documents without some kind of translation.
    Desktop Publishing
    A classification of word processing software that concentrates on
    incorporation of graphics, powerful formatting, and development of
    complex styles including newsletters, signs, and pamphlets.
    Style Sheet
    In desktop publishing, a template that specifies how a certain type of
    document will be created. Style sheets are used to define a uniform
    look and feel for documents of the same general type. For example, a
    company might issue a standard style sheet for intra-corporation
    memoranda. Many high-end word processors incorporate this feature.
    Sometimes style sheets are referred to as templates.
    Scroll Bars
    Horizontal or vertical bars which indicate the cursor position in a
    document. Usually scroll bars can be used with the mouse to
    facilitate moving through the document.
    Cursor
    A small mark on the screen, usually a rectangle, underline, or
    I-shaped design. The cursor indicates the exact position within the document
    (and memory) where any commands and typing will be executed.
    Save
    The Save command saves a document without prompting for the file
    name, unless the file has never been saved before. If this is the
    case, it invokes a Save As command instead.
    Save As
    This command always prompts for a file name. It is used when
    you want to save the changes to file without changing the file already
    saved on the disk.
    Load (or Open)
    This command prompts the user for a file name, then loads the document
    into the application.
    Print
    A print command is used to send a copy of the document to the
    printer.
    Print Preview
    This command is especially useful in non-WYSIWYG environments. It
    allows you to see a preview of the document exactly as it will be
    printed. It is often a good idea to invoke this command before you
    print a document, to be sure it will turn out exactly as you plan.
    Block Manipulation
    The process of defining a section of text so it can be copied, pasted,
    or otherwise manipulated as one unit.
    Copy
    A copy command takes a block of text and copies it to a memory
    buffer without removing the original text. Used to it
    duplicate sections of a document.
    Cut
    This command copies a block of text to a memory buffer, and removes
    the original text from the document. Used to {it move} sections of a
    document.
    Paste
    This command takes the block of text last placed in the buffer by a
    cut or copy command, and inserts it into the document at the current
    cursor position.
    Formatting
    The process of defining how a document will look. Formatting can
    occur at the character level, as well as at the paragraph and page
    level.
    Character Attributes
    The special modifications to letters, such as {bf boldface} and {it
    italic}
    Font
    The combination of character set and size that defines how an
    individual character looks. Most word processing packages allow the
    user to choose from many fonts.
    Toggle
    A command is referred to as a {it toggle} if repeated execution of
    the command causes something to switch between two modes. Insert
    and Overwrite modes are good examples of toggles. Often character
    attributes are also considered toggles.
    Point
    A point is a type setter’s measurement of character size. Officially,
    there are 72.25 points to an inch.
    Justification
    The way the lines of text are arranged on the page. The usual options
    are left-justified, right-justified, centered, and both-justified.
    Left-Justified
    The text is lined up so that the left margin is even. The right
    margin will not be even in left-justified text.
    Right-Justified
    The text is lined up so that the left margin is ragged, but the right
    margin is even. Often used to line up dates and return addresses on
    business letters.
    Both-Justified
    The text is lined up so that both the left and right margins are lined
    up, as in a newspaper or magazine.
    Centered
    The text is lined up with an equal distance from the left and right
    margins. Usually used in headlines.
    Word Wrap
    A behavior of word processing programs which automatically moves words
    too large to fit the current line onto a new line. Eliminates the
    need to press «return» at the end of each line.
    Headers, Footers
    Special areas at the top and bottom of word processing documents.
    These sections are reserved for information that will appear on {it
    each page} of the document. Usually page numbers, document name, or
    document author will be in the header/footer area. The footer is
    also useful for holding footnotes.
    Landscape Mode
    Documents in this mode print the long part of the page horizontally, as
    in a landscape painting.
    Portrait Mode
    Documents in this mode print the long part of the page vertically,
    as in a portrait painting.
    Table
    A section of a document organized into rows and columns. Higher-end
    word processors often have a number of tools to help make tables
    easier to create and manage.
    Column
    Vertical separation of text into two or more sections. Newspapers and
    newsletters are often arranged in columns. High-end word processing
    programs and desktop publishing programs usually include some tools to
    make column manipulation easier.
    Spell Checker
    A feature of higher-end word processing programs that compares each
    word in a document to a dictionary of proper spellings. Most spell
    checkers «guess» which word the user was trying to type and give the
    user some guesses to choose from.
    Grammar Checker
    A feature in word processing programs that checks a document for
    common grammatical errors. Grammar checkers can also grade documents
    for readability and complexity. Sometimes grammar checkers are
    separate programs.
    Outline Editors
    A feature or program that easily enables the user to create and
    manipulate outlines. Most of these programs allow you to hide the
    body text so you can see and modify the subject headings. The
    associated body text is automatically moved with the appropriate heading.

    Summary

    Word processing programs are a type of software that make
    it easier to create and modify text documents. Word Processing
    applications are organized into a number of categories according to
    their complexity: Simple programs that manipulate ASCII are called
    Text Editors. More complex programs that feature formatting commands
    are called Word Processors. Some word processors are included in
    integrated application packages, which also feature other application
    programs. Such packages are convenient, but may not have all the
    features of larger programs. Full-featured word processing programs
    contain many options for formatting text and documents. They also
    might contain special utilities for more complex formatting and
    composition. Desktop publishing programs are designed for more
    complex formatting, especially the integration of text and graphics.

    Most word processing programs contain the same types of commands,
    although the exact ways to access these commands may vary. You will
    almost always see file handling commands, including commands to Load,
    Save, Save As, and Print. Frequently, you will also see commands for block
    manipulation, including Copy, Cut, and Paste. More advanced programs
    may contain special commands for formatting characters and paragraphs,
    as well as other commands to deal with tables, columns, and lists.
    The fanciest word processing programs may also contain commands to
    assist with composition, such as spelling and grammar checkers and
    outline editors.

    What Does Word Processing Mean?

    Word processing is the process of creating and editing documents on a computer. It allows a user to create documents that mimic the format and style of a typical typewriter. It requires a computer and word processing software. A printer may also be used to create a physical copy of the document.

    Techopedia Explains Word Processing

    Word processing is one of the earliest and most commonly used types of computer software. In fact, word processing software is often cited as a major factor in the launch the personal computer industry. This software did such a great job of automating processes that had previously been performed by a dedicated machine (in this case a typewriter) that this type of software helped bring personal computers into the households of regular people, rather than just businesses.

    Even today, word processors reflect their history as digital typewriters. They display a sheet of paper on the screen, which captures user input from the keyboard. The user can select different font styles, sizes, colors and many different customizations. And, unlike manual word processing, the digital variety is is much faster and more flexible.


    Asked by: Adrian Christiansen Sr.

    Score: 5/5
    (20 votes)

    A word processor is a device or computer program that provides for input, editing, formatting, and output of text, often with some additional features.
    Early word processors were stand-alone devices dedicated to the function, but current word processors are word processor programs running on general purpose computers.

    What is word processor explain?

    Word processor, computer program used to write and revise documents, compose the layout of the text, and preview on a computer monitor how the printed copy will appear. … Modern word processors also have many features once reserved for desktop publishing systems, such as table creation and importation of graphic images.

    What is word processor with example?

    One example of a Word Processor is Microsoft Word, but other word processing applications are also widely used. Examples include: Microsoft Works Word Processor, Open Office Writer, Word Perfect and Google Drive Document.. but certainly not limited to) reports, letters, memos, newsletters and brochures.

    What is word processor What are its types?

    The word “word processor” means it processes words with pages and paragraphs. Word processors are of 3 types which are electronic, mechanical, and software.

    What is word processor and explain about it?

    A word processor is software or a device that allows users to create, edit, and print documents. It enables you to write text, store it electronically, display it on a screen, modify it by entering commands and characters from the keyboard, and print it. Of all computer applications, word processing is the most common.

    39 related questions found

    What is word processor and its advantages?

    Advantages of using a word processor over a manual type writer. A document can be stored in a computer for future reference. Have special editing tools eg spelling and grammar checkers. One can easily insert or replace a word or phrase without affecting the neatness of a document.

    What is a word processor short answer?

    A word processor (WP) is a device or computer program that provides for input, editing, formatting, and output of text, often with some additional features. … The functions of a word processor program fall somewhere between those of a simple text editor and a fully functioned desktop publishing program.

    What is word processing basics?

    Word processing is an application program that allows you to create letters, reports, newsletters, tables, form letters, brochures, and Web pages. Using this application program you can add pictures, tables, and charts to your documents. You can also check spelling and grammar.

    Is Apple pages a word processor?

    Pages is a powerful word processor that lets you create stunning documents, and comes included with most Apple devices. And with real-time collaboration, your team can work together from anywhere, whether they’re on Mac, iPad, iPhone or using a PC.

    Which software is used in word processing?

    Microsoft Word and Google Docs are two of the most common word processing software applications.

    What are the 5 examples of word processor?

    Examples of word processor programs

    • Abiword.
    • Apple iWork — Pages.
    • Apple TextEdit — Apple macOS included word processor.
    • Corel WordPerfect.
    • Dropbox Paper (online and free).
    • Google Docs (online and free).
    • LibreOffice -> Writer (free).
    • Microsoft Office -> Microsoft Word.

    What is word processor give two examples?

    A word processor, or word processing program, does exactly what the name implies. It processes words. It also processes paragraphs, pages, and entire papers. Some examples of word processing programs include Microsoft Word, WordPerfect (Windows only), AppleWorks (Mac only), and OpenOffice.org.

    What is the best word processor?

    Best Free Word Processors (2021)

    • Google Docs.
    • Microsoft Word 365.
    • LibreOffice.
    • Apache OpenOffice.
    • Polaris Office.
    • Zoho Writer.
    • Dropbox Paper.
    • Apple Pages.

    What are some common uses for word processing software?

    Some of the functions of word processing software include:

    • Creating, editing, saving and printing documents.
    • Copying, pasting, moving and deleting text within a document.
    • Formatting text, such as font type, bolding, underlining or italicizing.
    • Creating and editing tables.

    What is a word processor class 9?

    Answer: A Software or a computer that enables users to build, edit, and print documents is a word processor. It helps users to write text, save it electronically, show it on a computer, edit it by entering keyboard commands and characters, and print it out. … People can type words faster than writing in a pen.

    Is Apple pages better than word?

    That said, if you are looking at self publishing, Pages does have it’s own macOS app built for publishing into Apple Books. Winner: Microsoft Word. It is simply the most feature-rich of all the word processors, and it is also the writing standard for many publishers. Plus, collaboration is at its best in Word.

    Which is better word or Pages?

    Microsoft Word is universally available, more flexible on storage options, and offers more features out of the box. But at the same time, some may find it bloated. In that case, I would advise going for Pages and if that’s not the case with you, then go with Microsoft Word.

    Can I open a Pages document in word?

    Pages is a word processing and document-creation program designed by Apple. … If you have a Pages document that you want to open in Word, you must save the document as a . doc file and then open it in Word.

    What is word processing and its features?

    What is word processing and its features? A word processor is software or a device that allows users to create, edit, and print documents. It enables you to write text, store it electronically, display it on a screen, modify it by entering commands and characters from the keyboard, and print it.

    What is word processing job?

    A word processor, or typist, generally works in an office setting. As a word processor, your job duties involve preparing reports, correspondence, and other written documents using a computer and word processing software. They also use fax machines, scanners, copiers, and other equipment on a regular basis.

    What are the 8 parts of basic word processing?

    The basics of the Word window

    • Title bar. This displays the document name followed by a program name.
    • Menu bar. This contains a list of options to manage and customize documents.
    • Standard toolbar. …
    • Formatting toolbar. …
    • Ruler. …
    • Insertion point. …
    • End-of-document marker. …
    • Help.

    Is Notepad a word processor?

    Notepad is a text editor, meant for basic plain text entry, while WordPad is a word processor, meant for formatting and printing documents—like Microsoft Word, but not quite as advanced. They aren’t the only programs in their respective categories, either.

    How do you make a word processor?

    Create a document

    1. Open Word. Or, if Word is already open, select File > New.
    2. In the Search for online templates box, enter a search word like letter, resume, or invoice. Or, select a category under the search box like Business, Personal, or Education.
    3. Click a template to see a preview. …
    4. Select Create.

    What are the disadvantages of word processor?

    If you want to write something down quickly, it can take more time to switch the computer on, open the word processor and set up the document. Sometimes pen and paper is faster.

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