Word processors evolved from standalone machines in the 1960s that combined typing and printing functions, to software applications that became popular on personal computers. Early models had basic formatting options and saved to memory cards, while later versions introduced spell check and improved layout controls. Today, word processors like Microsoft Word are commonly used to create text files and allow formatting, editing, commenting and other advanced features. They automate tasks like formatting styles and indexing to help produce professional documents.

1. Information & Communication
Technology (ICT)
Productive Enhancement Software
Package
DIT Part 1
Lecture 13
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

2. Introduction of Word Processors
• A word processor is an electronic device or
computer software application, that performs
the task of composing, editing, formatting,
and printing of documents.
• The word processor was a stand-alone office
machine in the 1960s.
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

3. Introduction of Word Processors
• Combining the keyboard text-entry and
printing functions of an electric typewriter,
with a recording unit, either tape or floppy
disk with a simple dedicated computer
processor for the editing of text.
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

4. Introduction of Word Processors
• Although features and designs varied among
manufacturers and models, and new features
were added as technology advanced, word
processors typically featured a monochrome
display and the ability to save documents on
memory cards or diskettes.
• Later models introduced
innovations such as spell
checking programs, and
improved formatting options.
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

5. Introduction of Word Processors
• The more versatile combination of personal
computers.
• Printers became commonplace, and computer
software applications for word processing
became popular.
• Most business machine companies stopped
manufacturing dedicated word processor
machines.
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

6. Introduction of Word Processors
• Word Processor is a software program capable of
creating, storing, and printing typed documents.
• Today, the word processor is one of the most
frequently used software programs on a
computer, with Microsoft Word being the most
popular word processor.
• Word processors can be used to create multiple
types of files, including Text files (.txt), Rich Text
files (.rtf), HTML files (.htm & .html), and Word
files (.doc & .docx). Some word processors can
also be used to create XML files (.xml).
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

7. More advanced features found in recent word
processors include
• Collaborative editing, allowing multiple users to work
on the same document.
• Indexing assistance. (True indexing, as performed by a
professional human indexer, is far beyond current
technology, for the same reasons that fully automated,
literary-quality machine translation is.)
• Creation of tables of contents.
• Management, editing, and positioning of visual
material (illustrations, diagrams), and sometimes
sound files.
• Automatically managed (updated) cross-references to
pages or notes.
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

8. More advanced features found in
recent word processors include
• Version control of a document, permitting
reconstruction of its evolution.
• Non-printing comments and annotations.
• Generation of document statistics (characters,
words, readability level, time spent editing by
each user).
• "Styles", which automate consistent
formatting of text body, titles, subtitles,
highlighted text, and so on.

9. Features of a Word Processor
• Unlike a basic plaintext editor a word
processor offers dozens of additional features
that can give your document or other text a
more professional appearance.
• Below is a listing of some of the most popular
features of a word processor.
• Note: Some more advance text editors can
perform some of these functions.
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

10. Features of a Word Processor
• Text formatting - Changing the font, font size, font
color, bold, italicizing, etc.
• Multimedia - Insert clip art, charts, images, pictures,
and video into a document.
• Spelling and Grammar - Have the ability to look for
spelling and grammar errors in a document.
• Adjust the layout - Capable of modifying
the margins and layout of a document.
• Indentation and lists - Set and format tabs, bullet lists,
and number lists.
• Insert tables - Add tables to a document.
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

11. Features of a Word Processor
• Header and footer - Being able to adjust and change
text within the header and footer of a document.
• Thesaurus - Look up alternatives to a word without
leaving the program.
• Auto Correct - Automatically correct common errors
(e.g. typing "teh" and having it autocorrected to "the").
• Mailers and labels - Create mailers or print labels.
• Import data - Import and format data
from CSV, database, or another source.
• Macros - Setup macros to perform common tasks.
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

12. Examples of Word Processor Programs
• Abiword
• Apple iWork- Pages
• Apple TextEdit - Apple macOS included Word processor
• Corel WordPerfect
• Google Docs (Online and Free)
• LibreOffice -> Writer (Free)
• Microsoft Office -> Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Works (Discontinued)
• OpenOffice -> Writer (Free)
• Sun StarOffice (Discontinued)
Copyrights By Tanveer Malik

13. Assignment
– Detailed working of
WP software.