Brief History of Word Processor

Brief History of Word Processor
Word processor – brief history

In the 1960s, a word processor was a stand-alone office machine with a keyboard, printer,
electric typewriter, and a recording unit. It used either a simple dedicated computer processor
or a floppy disk.
According to Harry Henderson, in his book titled ‘Encyclopedia of Computer Science and
Technology‘, IBM is believed to have coined the term ‘word processor’ in the 1960s. It was used
to refer to a system consisting of a Selectric typewriter with a magnetic tape storage.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the features and designs gradually changed as technology
advanced. They had a monochrome (black and white) display, and were able to save
documents on diskettes or memory cards.
The first ‘modern’ style word processor was brought to the market by Lexitron and Linolex. As
well as a magnetic tape, it also had a video display screen, so that the typist could see and
correct errors without having to print it first.
By the late-1970s-early-1980s several innovations were introduced, including improved

formatting options and spell-checkers.
In the late 1970s, word-processing systems developed by Wang, Data General, Digital
Equipment Corporation, and others were essentially microcomputers with tiny monitors
(screens), keyboards, printers and specialized software.
At $8,000 to $20,000 each, and requiring specially-trained operators, very few companies had
word-processing systems. With $20,000, an employer could pay the wages of 2.5 secretaries
for a whole year in 1979.
When personal computers, printers, and computer applications for word processing came onto
the scene, sales of dedicated word processor machines plummeted. In 2009, there were just
two American companies – AlphaSmart and Classic – which continued making them.
Today, typical word processing software comprises more than one program and can produce a
combination of graphics, images and text – with the text having type-setting capability.
Most programs on the market today have:

Where are word processors used?
In the world of business, word processors are extremely common. They are used for creating
legal documents such contracts, company reports, literature for customers and clients, internal
memos, and letters.
Most companies have their own format and style, and either have the company letterhead
programmed into the word processor software, pre-printed on paper, or both.
In people’s households, word processors are used for business, educational, and planning
purposes.
Some people use the software to write poems, short stories, personal correspondence, greeting
cars, or to create résumés (CVs).
Since the advent of social networks and email, the role of the word processor in the home has
declined considerably. What used to be done in printed form (on physical paper), is now done
almost entirely online.
According to Top Ten Reviews, the top word processors (software) in the world are:
Microsoft Word (Microsoft Corporation – United States)

Word Perfect (Corel Corporation – Canada)
TextMaker (SoftMaker Software GmbH – Germany)
Google Docs (Google Inc. – United States))
Kingsoft Writer (Kingsoft 金山软件有限公司 – China))
Ability Write (Ability Software International – United Kingdom)
RagTime ((RagTime.de Development GmbH – Germany)
Word Processors
Sometimes abbreviated as WP, a 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).
Tip
A word processor should not be confused with a text editor, such as Notepad, that only
allows editing and creating plain text documents.
Overview of Word (Microsoft Word)
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.
 Text formatting - Changing the font, font size, font color, bold, italicizing,
underline, etc.
 Copying, cutting, and pasting - Once text has been entered into a documented it
can be copied or cut and pasted anywhere in the current document or another
document.
 Multimedia - Insert clip art, charts, images, pictures, and video into a document.
 Spelling and Grammar - Checks for spelling and grammar errors in a document.
 Adjust the layout - Capable of modifying the margins, size, and layout of a
document.
 Find - Word processors give you the ability to quickly find any word or text in any
size of the document.
 Search and Replace - You can use the Search and Replace feature to replace any
text throughout a document.
 Indentation and lists - Set and format tabs, bullet lists, and number lists.
 Insert tables - Add tables to a document.
 Word wrap - Word processors can detect the edges of a page or container and
automatically wrap the text using word wrap.
 Header and footer - Being able to adjust and change text in the header and
footer of a document.
 Thesaurus - Look up alternatives to a word without leaving the program.
 Multiple windows - While working on a document, you can have additional
windows with other documents for comparison or move text between
documents.
 AutoCorrect - 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.
 Headers and footers - The headers and footers of a document can be customized
to contain page numbers, dates, footnotes, or any text of all pages of the
document or specific pages.
 Merge - Word processors allow data from other documents and files to be
automatically merged into a new document. For example, you can mail merge
names into a letter.
 Macros - Setup macros to perform common tasks.
 Collaboration - More modern word processors can help multiple people work on
the same document at the same time.

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Brief History of Word Processor

Word processor – brief history

By the late-1970s-early-1980s several innovations were introduced, including improved

Most programs on the market today have:

Microsoft Word (Microsoft Corporation – United States)

Sometimes abbreviated as WP, a word processor is a software program capable of creating,

Overview of Word (Microsoft Word)

Features of a word processor

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