Word processor
A word processor is a type of computer software designed for writing, storing, and printing text documents. This technology has transformed traditional writing practices, moving from manual typewriters to digital platforms that allow users to efficiently create and revise documents. Word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs offer features that facilitate not only typing but also customization and collaboration, making it easier for users to share and co-author documents online.
Historically, the development of word processors began with devices like the IBM Magnetic Tape/Selectric Typewriter in the 1960s, which introduced screen visibility of typed text. By the late 1970s, programs such as WordStar emerged as early examples of word processing software, allowing users to perform operations like copy and paste. The competition in the market led to the rise of Microsoft Word in the early 1980s, which quickly became the dominant word processing application, especially with its visually appealing features.
In the modern context, word processors are not only used in office settings but have also become accessible tools for everyday users, available on both desktop computers and mobile devices. Despite advancements, some writers still prefer simpler software to minimize distractions and maintain focus on the writing process itself. As technology continues to evolve, word processors remain integral tools for communication and documentation in various fields.
On this Page
Word processor
A word processor is a computer used for writing, storing, and printing text. Word processing software on desktop computers allows users to digitally write, revise, view, and customize text documents. Word processors revolutionized the way secretaries and other office workers did their jobs by moving from manual typewriters to automatic keyboards connected to desktop computers. Instead of keeping physical records of typed work, individuals were able to keep digital records stored on computers.
In the twenty-first century, at least one word processor program comes preinstalled on desktop computers and most mobile devices. Basic processors that only allow the user to type and revise, such as Notepad for machines running Windows operating systems, are usually free. Advanced models that allow the user to type, revise, and customize, such as Microsoft Word for any operating system, often cost a certain price and are bundled with other programs.
Although word processors are available to purchase, there are options such as Google Documents and Office Online that feature online-only word processing for no fee. The accessibility of these programs enables users to not only share documents with anyone in the world but also coauthor documents through an Internet connection. From desktop computers to mobile devices, the word processor has evolved into a portable and accessible means of storing text.
Brief History
Before personal computers became popular, typewriters were the original word processors. Released in 1964, the Magnetic Tape/Selectric Typewriter (MT/ST) from International Business Machines (IBM) was the first typewriter that allowed users to type on a keyboard and see the letters appear on the attached screen. Although not entirely a computer, the MT/ST was the first major advancement into technical word processing.
In the mid-1970s, microcomputers made computing at home a reality. With this invention came the rise of the floppy disk, a portable storage unit. Floppy disks allowed programmers to author their own programs and distribute them for sale. Michael Shrayer took advantage of this feature and created a word processor called Electric Pencil in 1976. Electric Pencil was the first word processing program for the home computer, but it was simple in appearance and not widely used.
Electric Pencil only allowed the user to input words exactly as is. There were not any special functions to accentuate the text until the development of WordStar by MicroPro International in 1979. WordStar is considered by some to be the first legitimate word processor. In addition to typing words, users of WordStar were able to copy and paste text anywhere in the existing document. WordStar was also the first What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) program; the document's appearance on screen was how it would appear printed on paper. WordStar did not include all of the amenities of the twenty-first-century processor, but it did feature bolding, shadowed typeface, underlining, and page numbers. While many people purchased WordStar for their home computers, the program was included with the purchase of Kaypro and Morrow computers.
In 1980, WordPerfect, a word processor that catered to lawyers and others in the legal field, rose to compete with WordStar. Microsoft Word debuted in 1983 and quickly surpassed WordPerfect and WordStar in popularity. By 1986, around sixty word processors were available for purchase, but Word was the most used. With the development of the Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS), Word was able to provide more visually attractive features that WordPerfect and WordStar could not match. Because of this, Word made a name for itself as an image-based processor, while WordPerfect was character-based, meaning that Word focused more on the appearance of text than the ease of text input.
Word sounded appealing to most computer owners, but its original user interface made some basic functions difficult to maneuver. Because of this, WordPerfect became the most popular word processor in the 1990s. WordPerfect did not look as appealing as Word, but it did operate more smoothly on MS-DOS and Macintosh machines. Both WordPerfect and Word exist in the twenty-first century with updates every few years.
Topic Today
When word processors were first produced in the late twentieth century, their purpose was strictly work related. Users of MS-DOS machines used the software for office work, while users of Macintosh machines used it for publishing. Because of this, using a word processor was inherently biased toward the office clerk. Even in the twenty-first century, the bias toward office workers is referenced; Microsoft Word is included in a bundle of programs called Microsoft Office. However, Microsoft and other companies such as Google have made strides to make word processing more accessible to the everyday user. Both Microsoft and Google have online word processors that allow users to access content from anywhere with an Internet connection. The twenty-first-century word processor is always connected and available.
Despite the positive aspects of having constant access to files, some authors have argued that the advancements in twenty-first-century word processors ultimately take away from the act of writing. For example, George R. R. Martin, the author of the Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels, admitted to a talk show host in 2014 that he writes his books using WordStar 4.0 on an MS-DOS machine. He claimed that he preferred WordStar to Word because of the lack of advanced features such as automatic capital letters and spell-checking. While some enjoy and take for granted the advanced features found in twenty-first-century word processors, it is easy to forget where the software originated. Without the basic typing methods used in the first word processors, the advancements that are overlooked today would not exist.
Bibliography
Dillon, Brian. "Track Changes: A Literary History of Word Processing Review – Did Tech Change Literary Style?" Guardian, 30 June 2016, www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jun/30/track-changes-a-literary-history-of-word-processing-matthew-kirschenbaum-review. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Eisenberg, Daniel. "Word Processing (History of)." Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, vol. 49, 1992, pp. 268–278.
Fehrman, Craig. "The Qwerty History of the Word Processor." Boston Globe, 5 May 2016, www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2016/05/04/the-qwerty-history-word-processor/MVLyjLykRcXyzYlWuNOXnJ/story.html. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Frizell, Sam. "Here's Why George R.R. Martin Types 'Game of Thrones' on an Ancient DOS Computer." Time,14 May 2014, www.time.com/99432/george-rr-martin-game-of-thrones-computer. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Haigh, Thomas. "Remembering the Office of the Future: The Origins of Word Processing and Office Automation." IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, Oct./Dec. 2006, pp. 6–31. www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/582/582%20readings/wphistory.pdf. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Kirschenbaum, Matthew G. "This Faithful Machine." The Paris Review,11 May 2016, www.theparisreview.org/blog/2016/05/11/this-faithful-machine. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
---. Track Changes: A Literary History of Word Processing. Harvard University Press, 2016.
Schuessler, Jennifer. "The Muses of Insert, Delete and Execute." New York Times,25 Dec. 2011, www.nytimes.com/2011/12/26/books/a-literary-history-of-word-processing.html. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Vaughan-Nichols, Steven J. "In the Beginning, There Was the Word Processor." ZDNet, 9 Mar. 2012, www.zdnet.com/article/in-the-beginning-there-was-the-word-processor. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
"Word Processing Software." Geeks for Geeks, 19 Jan. 2021, www.geeksforgeeks.org/word-processing-software/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.