Chapter 5: Productivity Applications

Objectives:

• Describe how word processing and desktop publishing software have revolutionized writing and publishing
• Discuss the potential impact of desktop publishing and web publishing on the concept of freedom of the press
• Speculate about future developments in word processing and digital publishing
• Descirbe the basic functions and applications of spreadsheets and other types of statistical and simulation programs.

Doug Engelbart Explores Hyperspace:
-One of the pioneers of the computer hardware and software

• In 1968, he demonstrated his Augment System: mouse, video display editing, mixed text and graphics, windowing, outlining, shared screen video conferencing, computer conferencing, groupware, hypermedia

Working With a Word Processor involves several steps:

• Entering Text
• Editing Text
• Formatting the document
• Proofreading the document
• Saving the document on disk
• Printing the document

Entering, Editing, and Formatting Text
-Entering Text

• Text is displayed on the screen and ftored in the computer's RAM
• Save your work periodically because RAM is not permanaent memory

-Editing Text

• Navigate to different parts of a document
• Insert or Delete text at any point
• Move and copy text
• Seach and replace words or phrases.

Word Processors and Other Word Tools
-Formatting Commands
-Formatting Characters

• characters are measured by point size (one point is equal to 1/72 inch
• A font is a size anf style of typeface
• Serif fonts have serifs or fine lines at the ends of each character.
• You can use monospaced fonts and proportionally spaced fonts.

-Formatting paragraphs invovlves

• Margin Settings
• Line Spacing
• Indents
• Tabs
• Justification

-Formatting the doument

• Stylesheets
• Header and Footers
• Multiple Variable Columns
• Graphics
• Automatic editing heatures
• Hidden comments
• Table of contents and indexes
• Coaching and help features
• Conversion to HTML or Web Publishing

Rules of Thumb: Word Processing is Not Typing
-Use the reutn or enter key only when you must
-Word wrap moves text to the next line
Use tabs and margin gruides not the spacebar to align columns
-WYSIWYG is a matter of degree
-Text that looks perfectly aligned  onscreen may not line up on paper.
Don't Underline
-Use Italics and boldface for emphasis; italisize books and journal titles
Use only one space after a period
-proportionally spaced fonts look better withuot double spaces
Take Advantage of special characters
-Bullets, dashes, and smart quotes make your work look more professional
Outliners and Idea Processors are effective at:
-Arranging information into levels
-rearraging ideas and levels
-hiding and revealing levels of detail as needed.
Digital References:
-dictionaries, quotation books, encyclopedias, ,atlasses, almanacs, and other references are now available in digital form
-the biggest advantage of the electronic form is speed.
-the biggest drawback is that quick and easy copying might tempt wiriters to plagarize.
Synonym Finders.
-a computerized thesaurus cann provide instantaneious feedback for sunonyms
Spelling Checkers
-compare words in your document with words in a disk-based dictioniary
-Words might be flagged but you make the decision to ignore or change the spelling
Grammar and Style Checkers
-Analyze each word in context, checking for errors of content Check spelling
-Point out possible errors and suggest improvements
-Analyze pros complexity using measurements such as sentence length and paragraphs.
Form Letter Generators.
-Mail Merge capabilities produce personalized form letters.

• Create a database with names
• Create a form letter
• Merge the database with the form letter to create a personalized letter.

You can incorporate custom paragraphs based on the recipient's personal data
-Each letter looks as if it were individually written
Collaborative Writing Tools
-Groupware; software designed to be used by a work group
-provides for collaborative writing and editing
-Tracks changes and identifies them by the originator's name
-Compares document versions and highlights differences in documents
-Processing handwritten words
-Processing words with software that can reliably recognize human speech
-Anticipating a writer's , acting as an electronic editor or co-author.
What is Desktop publishing?
-The process of producing a book, magazine, or other publication includes several steps: Writing Text, Editing Text, Producing drawing photographs, and other graphics to accompany the text
-designing a basic format for the publication
typesetting text
arranging text and graphics on pages
-typesetting and printing pages
-binding pages into a finished publication
-Modern desktop publishing teachnolgy (DTP0, the producyion processes can be accompanied with sophisticated tools that are affordable and easy to use.
-Desktop Publishing Sfotware

• Image Editing Software
• Page Layout software combines the various source documents into a coherent visually appealing publication

Rules of Thumb:

• Plan before you pubolish
• Use appropriate fonts
• Don't go style crazy
• Vieww your document through your reader's eyes
• -Learn from your masters
• Know your limitations
• Remember the : "The purpose of publishing is communiation, don't try to use technolgy to disguise the lack of something to communicate."

Why Desktop Publishing?

• Save money
• Saves time
• Can reduce the number of publication errors
• Offers new hope for every indiviaul's right to ppublish

Paperless Publishing and the Web
-A common prediction is that desktop publishing and paper publishing in general will be replaced by paperless electronic media

The Maleable Matrix
-The spreadsheet consists of Cells and Addresses

Spreadsheets can contain Values and Labels
Formulas allow you to create instructions using mathematical expressions and commands