Headers and footers are common text printed on the top and bottom of every page. Margins, tabs, line spacing, indents, font changes, underline, bold and italic can be set and reset anywhere within the document. Text can be copied or moved within the document, and any occurrence of text can be replaced with another block of text. Text can be centered between left and right margins. Text can be deleted, typed over or inserted, and words at the right margin wrap to the next line. WordPerfect and Google Docs are also widely used (see WordPerfect Office and Google Docs). Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing application (see Microsoft Word). Advanced word processors can function as elementary desktop publishing systems.
Except for labels and envelopes, word processing software has long since replaced the electric typewriter.
This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing ( ) word processingThe creation of text documents via computer. Desktop publishers may include only simple word processing features but provide enhanced formatting functions, such as routines for merging text and graphics into complex page layouts. While they have features found in simple word processors, such as search and replace, that make the entry and editing of words and numbers easier, text editors provide only the most primitive facilities for text formatting and printing. Text editors are designed for creating and editing computer programs. Click the link for more information. systems. System for producing printed materials that consists of a personal computer or computer workstation, a high-resolution printer (usually a laser printer), and a computer program that allows the user to select from a variety of type fonts and sizes, column Word processors are distinguished from text editors and desktop publishing desktop publishing, To aid in these alterations, the text is displayed as it will appear when printed with indented paragraphs and lists, multiple columns, tables, etc this is called a what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) display. In addition, a document's format-type size, line spacing, margins, page length, and the like-usually can be easily altered. As word processors have become more sophisticated, such functions as word counting, spell checking, footnoting, and index generation have been added. As the text is entered or after it has been retrieved, sections ranging from words and sentences to paragraphs and pages can be moved, copied, deleted, altered, and added to while displayed. Word processors have various functions that allow a person to revise text without retyping an entire document. Click the link for more information.) and audio input (as for dictation) devices have been introduced.
A stylus, which may contain special electronic circuitry, may be used to write on the computer display or on a separate tablet. Text is most commonly entered using a keyboard similar to a typewriter's, although handwritten input (see pen-based computer pen-based computer,Ĭomputer that uses software to enable it to accept handwriting or drawing as a form of input. Click the link for more information. or a dedicated hardware and software package to write, edit, format, and print a document.
Word processing, use of a computer program computer program,Ī series of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute programs are also called software to distinguish them from hardware, the physical equipment used in data processing.