What Is a Word Processor Used for?
Word processors have gone from being glorified typewriters to extremely sophisticated computer software tools that can do everything from complex documents to basic graphic designs. The ability to embed data from other programs, insert pictures or graphics and interface with a range of other software has made them almost indispensable tools for the office and home.
Other People Are Reading
-
Document Composition
-
The most basic use of the word processor is to create documents. Entering data on a keyboard, the information is saved to the computer's memory and can be edited or recalled at any time.
Editing
-
Word processors have brought an enormous amount of flexibility to the editing process. Since all the alterations are made electronically prior to the print out of the document, it is easy to produce pristine pages that show none of the cutting, pasting or format changes of the editing process.
-
Formatting
-
Major or minor document format changes are effortless with word processors. Format changes such as increasing the margins can be applied to an entire document with one click. Page numbers or other information can be entered into the header or footer of documents in standardized fashion in one step.
Graphics
-
Basic graphics beyond simple bordering lines or the like can now be incorporated and edited in word processors. Shapes, colors, pictures and more can be placed into the document layout, moved or re-sized with almost the same ease a dedicated graphics programs, though the range of these options is more limited with a word processor.
Consolidating Data
-
Advanced software has made it possible to consolidate data in a word processing document. Tables, graphs or slides can be embedded into a document in a manner that retains the links to the original. Thus, if you update a table or graph in a spreadsheet or presentation program, those changes will be reflected in the word processing document. This is a useful feature if you are handling a complex project with information in different places or formats.
-
References
- Photo Credit Keys on a computer keyboard spell out the word danger image by Antony McAulay from Fotolia.com
