Introduction to Word Processing

Introduction to Word Processing

Word Processing Background

OpenOffice.org WRITER
OpenOffice.org Writer is an open source/free software word processor that is a component of the
OpenOffice.org software package.

Writer is capable of opening and saving documents in a number of various formats, including Microsoft Word's .doc, .rtf, .xhtml, and the Oasis Open Document format (or commonly called as ODF, its default format of version 2.0). As with format the OpenOffice.org suite, Writer can be used across a variety of platforms, including Mac OS X, Windows, GNU/Linux, Free BSD and Solaris. Use it for anything from writing a quick letter to producing an entire book with embedded illustrations, cross-referrences and other printed material.

OpenOffice.org (OOo) is a free software. Any one can improvements then share it for everyone to enjoy. As the user and the developer base of OpenOficce.org continue to grow, features and enhancements may be added to the package at a higher rate.

As part of the OpenOffice.org suite, OpenOffice.org Writer is available under the Lesser General Public License (LGPL).

Microsoft Office WORD
Microsoft Office Word is a word processing application originally written by Richard Brodie for IBM PC Computers running DOS (Disk Operating System) in 1983. Later versions were created for the Apple Macintosh (1984), SCO UNIX, OS/2 and Microsoft Windows (1989). It became part of the Microsoft Office suite.

The first version of Word for Windows was released in 1989 at a price of 500 US dollars. With the release of Windows 3.0, the following year, sales began to pick up. Word 1.0 worked much better with Windows 3.0 than with previous versions. The failure of Word Perfect to produce a Windows version proved a fatal mistake. It was version 2.0 of Word, however, that firmly established Microsoft Word as the market leader.

Word on the Macintosh never had any serious rivals, although programs such as Nisus Writer, a word processing program for the Apple Macintosh, provided features such as non-contiguous selection which were not added until Word 2002 in Office XP. In addition, some users complained that Word had not had a major innovation between versions 3.01 in 1987 and version 5.0 in 1991. Word 5.1 for the Macintosh was a popular word processor due to its elegance, relative ease of use and feature set. However, version of Word based on a common codebase between the Windows and Mac versions; many accused it for being slow, clumsy and memory intensive. The Windows version was also numbered 6.0 to coordinate product naming across platforms despite the fact that the previous version of Word for Windows was 2.0.

Later versions of Word have more capabilities than just word processing. The Drawing tools allow simple desktop publishing – the process of editing and layouting of printed material intended for publication, such as books, magazines, and brochures. Collaboration, document comparison, multilingual support and many other capabilities have been added over the years.
Importance of Word Processing

Let us define first what word processing is. We can define word processing as: 1. The production of typewritten documents (such as business letters) with automated and usually computerized typing and text-editing equipment. 2. Operation by which written, verbal, or recorded information is transformed into typewritten or printed form. A word-processing system can produce a wide variety of documents, including letters, memoranda, and manuals, rapidly and at a relatively low cost. 3. Preparation of textual documents on computer:

From these, we can now derive what a word processor is. A word processor is: 1. A computer program used to write and revise documents, layout text, and preview on a computer monitor how the printed copy will appear. The last capability is known as “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG; pronounced wi-ze-wig). 2. A keyboard-operated terminal usually with a video display and a magnetic storage device for use in word processing. 3. A software (for a computer system) to perform word processing.

A word-processing system typically consists simply of a personal computer linked to a computer printer, but it may instead employ a terminal linked to a mainframe computer. Word processsing differsz from a typewriter typing ini numerous ways. Electronic text can be moved around at will; misspelled terms can be corrected throughout the document by means of a single command; spelling and grammar checkers can automatically alert the user to apparent errors of spelling, punctuation, and syntax; and the document's format, layout, and type fonts and sizes can be changed repeatedly until a satisfactory design is achieved. Since all editing ideally occurs on-screen, word processing can result in decreased paper usage and simplified editing. When the final draft is ready, the document can be printed out (in multiple copies if necessary), sent as an e-mail attachment, shared on a computer network, or simply stored as an electronic file.

Word Processing Environment
The word processing environment emulates the traditional typewriter. Both OOo and MS contains similar tools. What separates MS from OOo is the tool called the TaskPane, introduced in versions 2002 of MS Office. The task pane of MS Word contains various links of commonly used actions like Open, Save, or Help. This feature helps streamline and enhance speed of output in the workplace.

Let us define the following tools on both Word and Writer's environment. 1. The Title bar displays the program name and the document opened. 2. The Menu bar contains the names of the menus that are available. The menu changes depending on the immediate task. 3. The Minimize button curtails the program window to a button on the taskbar. 4. The Maximize button expands the window to full screen, meaning it fills up the area of the screen. When clicking on this button again in its maximized state, it is changed to the Restore button which brings the window to full screen when clicked. 5. The Close button can be found in 2 locations, on the title bar and on the menu bar. The former exits the program while the later closes the active document. 6. Toolbars contain buttons that execute commands we frequently use upon clicking. You may add more toolbars as the need arises. 7. Scrollbars, both horizontal and vertical, navigates through the document either up and down or left to right. You can move between pages if we scroll using the vertical scrollbar. 8. The Cursor or Insertion point is the blinking vertical line in the document window. It indicates the position where we will place or type the characters on the document. 9. The Document window displays the current or active document for edit. 10. Rulers, both horizontal and vertical, act as guides and margins for the document. 11. The Status bar indicates information about a command or toolbar button, an operation in progress, or the location of the insertion point.