Section: Vocabulary

Vocabulary / Main Concepts

Word Processing

A type of software that specializes in handling text. Word processing programs typically contain commands for handling and formatting text documents.

Insert/Overwrite Modes

Most word processors allow you to choose one of these modes. When you are in insert mode, any text you type is inserted into the document at the cursor position. Overwrite mode also types text at the cursor position, but it writes over the top of existing text, much like a typewriter with correcting tape. Most experienced word processor users prefer insert mode for most of their work.

Text Editors

A classification of word processing software characterized by its low cost, ready availability, tendency to work only in ASCII format, and inability to do high-powered formatting.

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standard convention used to encode text, numbers, and common punctuation in numeric format so they can be stored in a computer's memory. Nearly all computers and programs can work with some form of ASCII. Text editors are designed especially to work with ASCII-based documents.

Integrated Packages

Programs that contain all the major applications within one "super application". These programs are useful, but often lack some of the more advanced features of full-fledged application packages.

WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. A capability often found on higher-level word processing programs. The screen mimics the output of the printer, so the typist can see pretty much what the final output of the document will be.

Proprietary

The term proprietary is frequently used when discussing software to denote a certain idea that is particular to a specific brand of software. When a program uses a proprietary scheme to save word processing documents, for example, other programs may not be able to read these documents without some kind of translation.

Desktop Publishing

A classification of word processing software that concentrates on incorporation of graphics, powerful formatting, and development of complex styles including newsletters, signs, and pamphlets.

Style Sheet

In desktop publishing, a template that specifies how a certain type of document will be created. Style sheets are used to define a uniform look and feel for documents of the same general type. For example, a company might issue a standard style sheet for intra-corporation memoranda. Many high-end word processors incorporate this feature. Sometimes style sheets are referred to as templates.

Scroll Bars

Horizontal or vertical bars which indicate the cursor position in a document. Usually scroll bars can be used with the mouse to facilitate moving through the document.

Cursor

A small mark on the screen, usually a rectangle, underline, or I-shaped design. The cursor indicates the exact position within the document (and memory) where any commands and typing will be executed.

Save

The Save command saves a document without prompting for the file name, unless the file has never been saved before. If this is the case, it invokes a Save As command instead.

Save As

This command always prompts for a file name. It is used when you want to save the changes to file without changing the file already saved on the disk.

Load (or Open)

This command prompts the user for a file name, then loads the document into the application.

Print

A print command is used to send a copy of the document to the printer.

Print Preview

This command is especially useful in non-WYSIWYG environments. It allows you to see a preview of the document exactly as it will be printed. It is often a good idea to invoke this command before you print a document, to be sure it will turn out exactly as you plan.

Block Manipulation

The process of defining a section of text so it can be copied, pasted, or otherwise manipulated as one unit.

Copy

A copy command takes a block of text and copies it to a memory buffer without removing the original text. Used to duplicate sections of a document.

Cut

This command copies a block of text to a memory buffer, and removes the original text from the document. Used to move sections of a document.

Paste

This command takes the block of text last placed in the buffer by a cut or copy command, and inserts it into the document at the current cursor position.

Formatting

The process of defining how a document will look. Formatting can occur at the character level, as well as at the paragraph and page level.

Character Attributes

The special modifications to letters, such as boldface and italic

Font

The combination of character set and size that defines how an individual character looks. Most word processing packages allow the user to choose from many fonts.

Toggle

A command is referred to as a toggle if repeated execution of the command causes something to switch between two modes. Insert and Overwrite modes are good examples of toggles. Often character attributes are also considered toggles.

Point

A point is a type setter's measurement of character size. Officially, there are 72.25 points to an inch.

Justification

The way the lines of text are arranged on the page. The usual options are left-justified, right-justified, centered, and both-justified.

Left-Justified

The text is lined up so that the left margin is even. The right margin will not be even in left-justified text.

Right-Justified

The text is lined up so that the left margin is ragged, but the right margin is even. Often used to line up dates and return addresses on business letters.

Both-Justified

The text is lined up so that both the left and right margins are lined up, as in a newspaper or magazine.

Centered

The text is lined up with an equal distance from the left and right margins. Usually used in headlines.

Word Wrap

A behavior of word processing programs which automatically moves words too large to fit the current line onto a new line. Eliminates the need to press "return" at the end of each line.

Headers, Footers

Special areas at the top and bottom of word processing documents. These sections are reserved for information that will appear on each page of the document. Usually page numbers, document name, or document author will be in the header/footer area. The footer is also useful for holding footnotes.

Landscape Mode

Documents in this mode print the long part of the page horizontally, as in a landscape painting.

Portrait Mode

Documents in this mode print the long part of the page vertically, as in a portrait painting.

Table

A section of a document organized into rows and columns. Higher-end word processors often have a number of tools to help make tables easier to create and manage.

Column

Vertical separation of text into two or more sections. Newspapers and newsletters are often arranged in columns. High-end word processing programs and desktop publishing programs usually include some tools to make column manipulation easier.

Spell Checker

A feature of higher-end word processing programs that compares each word in a document to a dictionary of proper spellings. Most spell checkers "guess" which word the user was trying to type and give the user some guesses to choose from.

Grammar Checker

A feature in word processing programs that checks a document for common grammatical errors. Grammar checkers can also grade documents for readability and complexity. Sometimes grammar checkers are separate programs.

Outline Editors

A feature or program that easily enables the user to create and manipulate outlines. Most of these programs allow you to hide the body text so you can see and modify the subject headings. The associated body text is automatically moved with the appropriate heading.