Text 5. Word Processing

Word processing refers generally to the creation, editing, formatting, storage and output of both printed and on-line or electronic documents. Word processing is undoubtedly the most used business application for personal computers, perhaps alongside World Wide Web browsers and e-mail applications.

Word processing software includes basic applications designed for casual business or home users and powerful, advanced applications capable of meeting the most demanding needs of businesses. Many word processing applications are designed for use as part of a suite or integrated group of word processing and presentation programs. For example, Microsoft Word, probably the most widely used word processing software, is part of the Microsoft office suite, which includes Microsoft’s Power Point presentation program and Excel. Corel Word Perfect, a less widely used but very popular word processing program, is part of Corel’s Word perfect Office suite, which includes Quattro Pro software and Presentations multimedia slide-show software.

Word processing means little more than typing up a document by inserting text, space and punctuation. Word processing implies a far greater range of features, including animated clip art, tables, graphs, headers and footers and formatting styles that can be applied to an entire document.

Word processors vary considerably, but all of them support the following basic features:

· insert text: allows you to insert text anywhere in the document;

· delete text: allows you to erase characters, words, lines, or pages;

· cut and paste: allows you to remove a section of text from one place in a document and insert it somewhere else;

· copy: allows you to duplicate a section of text;

· page size and margins: allows you to define various page sizes and margins and the word processor will automatically readjust the text;

· search and replace: allows you to search for a particular word or phrase;

· word wrap: the word processor automatically moves to the next line when you have filled one line with text, and it will readjust text if you change the margins;

· print: allows you to send a document to a printer.

Word processors that support only these features are called text editors. Most word processors, however, support additional features that enable you to manipulate and format documents in more sophisticated ways. These more advanced word processors are sometimes called full-featured word processors. They usually support the following features:

· file management: many word processors contain file management capabilities that allow you to create, delete, move and search for files;

· font specifications: allows you to change fonts within a document. For example, you can specify bold, italics and underlining;

· footnotes and cross-references: automates the numbering and placement of footnotes and enables you to easily cross-reference other sections of the documents;

· graphics: allows you to embed illustrations and graphs into a document;

· headers, footers and page numbering: allows you to specify customized headers and footers that the word processor will put at the top and bottom of every page;

· layout: allows you to specify different margins within a single document and to specify various methods for indenting paragraphs;

· macros: a macro is a character or word that represents a series of keystrokes. They can represent text or commands:

· spell checker: a utility that allows you to check the spelling of words. It will highlight any words that it does not recognize;

· tables of contents and indexes: allows you to automatically create a table of contents and index based on special codes that you insert in the documents;

· thesaurus: a built-in thesaurus that allows you to search for synonyms without leaving the word processor;

· windows: allows you to edit two or more documents at the same time. Each document appears in a separate window;

· WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get): with WYSIWYG a document appears on the display screen exactly as it will look when printed.