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2.1 Word Processors

A word processor is a software application that involves composition, modification,
and printing of documents. Typical features of a modern word processor include
font application, spell checking, grammar checking, a built-in thesaurus, automatic
text correction, Web integration, and HTML exporting, among others. In its
simplest form, a word processor is little more than a large expensive
Typewriter-like machine that makes correcting mistakes possible before printing. 1

Consider the video below for the brief introduction to word processors.
Word Processing Compared to Using a Typewriter
People used to rely on typewriters to create their documents. Although this is the
fastest way of having a printed document, there are several disadvantages
incorporated into it:

1. You will not be able to make changes without either retyping the entire
document, use liquid eraser to cover up the mistake, or simply overtype the
characters inside.
2. There are cases when the ribbon from the typewriter needs to be replaced.
This turned out to be messy and may result to having untidy documents.
3. Mechanical typewriters only have a single font for formatting.
4. Typewriters do not have spell checkers.
5. Some keys get stuck when they are often pressed too hard.
6. No reproduction available for the same document; what you need to do is
go to a photocopier to have a new copy of the document.

The great advantage of word processing over using a typewriter is that you can
make changes without retyping the entire document. If you make a typing mistake,
you simply back up the cursor and correct your mistake. If you want to delete a
paragraph, you simply remove it, without leaving a trace. It is equally easy to insert
a word, sentence, or paragraph in the middle of a document. Word processors also
make it easy to move sections of text from one place to another within a document,
or between documents. When you have made all the changes you want, you can
send the file to a printer to get a hard copy.

2.1.1 History of Word Processors

Word processing did not develop out of computer technology. It evolved from the
needs of writers and not those of mathematicians, only later merging with the
computer field. The history of word processing is the story of the gradual
automation of the physical aspects of writing and editing, and the refinement of the
technology to make it available to individual and corporate users.1
The invention of printing and movable type at the end of the Middle Ages was the
initial step in this automation. But the first major advance from manual writing as far
as the individual was concerned was the typewriter. Henry Mill, an English
engineer of the early eighteenth century, is credited with its invention. He was an
English inventor who patented the first typewriter in 1714. The fact that almost
nothing is known about his early version today is evidence of its lack of success.
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The evolution of typewriters up to a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)
typewriter is seen in the table below.

Year Contribution

Christopher Latham Sholes, with the assistance of two colleagues,

invented the first successful manual typewriter.

1867

Figure 2.1.1a Sholes typewriter

The typewriter began to be marketed commercially, rather improbably by

a gun manufacturing company, E. Remington and Sons. The main
1874
drawback of this model was that it printed on the underside of the roller,
so that the typist could not view his work until he had finished.

IBM introduced the Selectric typewriter, which replaced the standard

movable carriage and individual typestrikers with a revolving typeball.
This could print faster than the traditional typewriter. With the same year,
it also introduced word processing as a definite idea and concept. The
term was first used in IBM's marketing of the MT/ST as a "word
processing" machine. It was a translation of the German word
textverabeitung, coined in the late 1950s by Ulrich Steinhilper, an IBM
engineer. He used it as a more precise term for what was done by the act
1961 of typing.

Figure 2.1.1b Selectric typewriter

Stephen Bernard Dorsey, Founder and President of Canadian company

Automatic Electronic Systems (AES), introduced the world’s first
programmable word processor with a video screen. The real
1972 breakthrough by Dorsey’s AES team was that their machine stored the
operator’s texts on magnetic disks. Texts could be retrieved from the
disks simply by entering their names at the keyboard. More importantly, a
text could be edited, for instance a paragraph moved to a new place, or a
spelling error corrected, and these changes were recorded on the
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magnetic disk.2

Electric Pencil, released in December, was the first word processor

software for microcomputers. Software-based word processors running
on general-purpose personal computers gradually displaced dedicated
word processors, and the term came to refer to software rather than
hardware.

1976

Figure 2.1.1c Electric Pencil word processor

Some programs were modeled after particular dedicated WP hardware.
MultiMate, for example, was written for an insurance company that had
hundreds of typists using Wang systems, and spread from there to other
Wang customers. To adapt to the smaller, more generic PC keyboard,
MultiMate used stick-on labels and a large plastic clip-on template to
remind users of its dozens of Wang-like functions, using the shift, alt and
ctrl keys with the 10 IBM function keys and many of the alphabet keys.

Disk programs made it practical to develop packages for use with

personal computers, first made available in completely assembled form
1977 in 1977. Thus the separation of the software from the hardware also
opened up the field to individuals. Word processing is now "one of the
most common general applications for personal computers."

Developed by Apple, AppleWriter was the first popular PC word

processing program, though it had its quirks. It displayed text entirely in
uppercase. Characters that the user signified as uppercase appeared in
inverse color capitals, while characters in lowercase appeared as
standard capitals.

1979

Figure 2.1.1d Applewriter word processor

MacWrite, Microsoft Word and other word processing programs for the
1984 bit-mapped Apple Macintosh screen were probably the first true
WYSIWYG word processors to become known to many people until the
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introduction of Microsoft Windows. Dedicated word processors

eventually became museum pieces.

2.1.2 Features of Standard Word Processors

Basic Features
All word processors support the basic features the same ones of a text editor.
Although they have the same purpose, text editors can only be used in plain text.
The most basic example of this is the Notepad in Windows OS.
The following are the basic features for standard word processors1:

 insert text: Allows you to insert text anywhere in the document.

 delete text: Allows you to erase characters, words, lines, or pages as easily
as you can cross them out on paper.
 cut and paste: Allows you to remove (cut) a section of text from one place
in a document and insert (paste) it somewhere else.
 copy: Allows you to duplicate a section of text.
 undo and redo: Allows you to remove the last change done to the
document (undo) and advances the buffer to a more current state (redo). Undo
rolls back the previous action while redo rolls back the previous undo
execution.
 page size and margins: Allows you to define various page sizes and
margins, and the word processor will automatically readjust the text so that it
fits.
 search and replace: Allows you to direct the word processor to search for a
particular word or phrase. You can also direct the word processor to replace
one group of characters with another everywhere that the first group appears.
 word wrap:The word processor automatically moves to the next line when
you have filled one line with text, and it will readjust text if you change the
margins.
 print: Allows you to send a document to a printer to get a hard copy.

Advanced Features
Most word processors support additional features that enable you to manipulate
and format documents in more sophisticated ways. These more advanced word
processors are sometimes called full-featured word processors. Full-featured word
processors usually support the following features:

 file management: Many word processors contain file management

capabilities that allow you to create, delete, move, and search for files.
 font specifications: Allows you to change fonts within a document. For
example, you can specify bold, italics, and underlining. Most word processors
also let you change the font size and even the typeface.
 footnotes and cross-references: Automates the numbering and
placement of footnotes and enables you to easily cross-reference other
sections of the document.
 graphics: Allows you to embed illustrations and graphs into a document.
Some word processors let you create the illustrations within the word
processor; others let you insert an illustration produced by a different program.
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 headers, footers, and page numbering: Allows you to specify customized

headers and footers that the word processor will put at the top and bottom of
every page. The word processor automatically keeps track of page numbers so
that the correct number appears on each page.
 layout: Allows you to specify different margins within a single document
and to specify various methods for indenting paragraphs.
 macros: A macro is a character or word that represents a series of
keystrokes. The keystrokes can represent text or commands. The ability to
define macros allows you to save yourself a lot of time by replacing common
combinations of keystrokes.
 merges: Allows you to merge text from one file into another file. This is
particularly useful for generating many files that have the same format but
different data. Generating mailing labels is the classic example of using
merges.
 spell checker: A utility that allows you to check the spelling of words. It will
highlight any words that it does not recognize. There will be suggestions that
are near to the unrecognized word with difference by either one to two
characters.
 tables of contents and indexes: Allows you to automatically create a table
of contents and index based on special codes that you insert in the document.
 thesaurus:A built-in thesaurus that allows you to search for synonyms
without leaving the word processor.
 windows: Allows you to edit two or more documents at the same time.
Each document appears in a separate window. This is particularly valuable
when working on a large project that consists of several different files.
 WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get): With WYSIWYG, a
document appears on the display screen exactly as it will look when printed.

2.1.2.1 Essential Word Processing Features

Word-processing functions can be grouped into the categories of input,
manipulation, formatting, and output of text1.

Text Input
Typically, text is entered into the word processor from a keyboard. Other input
methods include:

 Copying text from other applications (such as from hypertext markup

language [HTML] documents, e-mail messages, or online encyclopedias) and
pasting it into a word-processing document
 Scanning printed documents and using optical-character-recognition (OCR)
software to convert the scanned documents into text characters
 Using voice-recognition software to convert spoken words into text
characters

Text Manipulation
Text manipulation refers to the "processing" part of word processing. Word
processors provide easy methods of deleting, inserting, copying, and moving
individual characters, words, phrases, and paragraphs—even entire pages of
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information—with a few clicks of a mouse button or with such keyboard shortcuts

as Ctrl-C to copy, Ctrl-X to cut, and Ctrl-V to paste or insert text.

Text can be automatically checked for spelling and for conformance to basic
grammatical principles as the text is entered and edited.

Figure 2.1.2.1a Misspelled word underlined in red which was detected upon
typing
As shown in the image above, the word is underlined in red because the spelling of
the word is incorrect. This automatic detection depends upon the default language
set on the word processor. There is also a green underline usually seen on words
or phrases that are detected to be grammatically incorrect.
The find-and-replace feature in a word processor allows the user to search for
every occurrence of a particular character, word, or phrase within a document. For
the find feature, the located words will be highlighted as shown below. For
the replacefeature, the located words are replaced with the new word inputted by
the user.

Figure 2.1.2.1b The word todo is highlighted after searching the word using
find-and-replace feature
Most word processors also include automatic correction and automatic formatting
of common errors and mechanical conventions as text is entered from the
keyboard. For example, commonly misspelled words can be automatically
corrected as soon as the misspelled words are entered; two spaces entered after
the end of a sentence can be changed automatically to one space; a lowercase
letter beginning a new sentence can be capitalized automatically. Proper
typographic quotation marks ("smart" or "curly" quote marks—" and ") and
apostrophes (') can be inserted automatically instead of the straight
typewriter-style quotation marks entered from the keyboard. Fractions and other
symbols can be formatted automatically as their keyboard equivalents are entered.
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For example, when a fraction for one-half is entered as 1/2, it is changed to the
symbol ½,two hyphens (––) are changed to a long dash (—); and (c) is changed
to ©.

Text Formatting
Word-processing software typically includes "wizards" or "help" features to provide
automated formatting of common business documents. For example, a letter
wizard can assist the user to properly format a business letter, and a
résumé wizard can help the user format a professional-looking résumé.

The most-common formatting tasks are typically performed by the user as a

document is created. Individual character and word formatting includes selection
of type size, type style, and typeface. Size is measured in points, a unit of measure
in which 72 points make up an inch. Typically, 11- or 12-point type is used for basic
business documents. Newsletters, annual reports, and other such "designed"
documents may use type as small as 8 or 9 points for the basic text and as large as
24, 36, or 48 points (or more) for main titles.
Type styles, such as italics, underline, and bold, are easily selected using
keyboard shortcuts or by selecting them from the basic font menu. Typefaces
(typeface refers to the look or design of the type) are available in thousands of
varieties, including such commonly known faces as Times Roman, Arial, Helvetica,
and Garamond.
Paragraph formatting in word processors are as follows:

1. line spacing, meaning the amount of blank space left between lines of type
(single spacing and double spacing, for example);
2. paragraph spacing (the amount of blank space that precedes or follows
each paragraph);
3. justification (all lines of type made even at both margins, or left uneven or
ragged at the right margin);
4. indentation (such as a first-line indentation at the beginning of each
paragraph).

Page and overall-document formatting includes setting margins (typically 1-inch

margins are used on the top, bottom, and both sides of such basic business
documents as letters, reports, and memos), creating columns like those used in a
newspaper or newsletter, and creating headers and footers (information such as
the page number or a chapter title that is repeated at the top or bottom of each
page of a document) like the one shown below.
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Figure 2.1.2.1c Example of using headers for the title of the page/s and footers for
filename, page number and date
Most word processors also provide special layout features for formatting outlines,
tables, envelopes, and mailing labels.

Text Output
Once text has been created, edited, and formatted into a finished electronic
document, it must be put into some tangible form or lasting electronic form to be of
practical benefit. That output process usually starts with the saving of the
document on the computer's hard drive, a floppy disk, a CD, or a memory device
such as a flash drive. Saving the document, in fact, is an activity that should take
place frequently during the creation and editing processes to guard against loss
due to problems such as electrical-power failure, computer malfunctions, and
operator error.
Printing a document on paper is the most common output method; other output
methods include faxing a document directly from the word processor by use of a
computer modem, sending the document to another person by e-mail,
and converting the word-processing document to various other electronic
formats for online viewing or for eventual printing from other applications. For
example, word-processing documents are frequently converted to HTML for use
as Web pages, to portable document format (PDF) files, and to rich text format
(RTF) files for use in other computer programs (particularly other word-processing
programs).

2.1.2.2 Advanced Features for Word Processors

Although most word-processing users tend to learn and use primarily the basic
word-processing features, numerous more-advanced features are available in
most word processors to make word processing much easier to complete in less
time. Taking the time to learn some advanced word-processing features and
functions usually has a high payoff in terms of productivity and professionalism.

Some of the more-common advanced word-processing features and functions are

described briefly below:

Styles
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Styles are user-created formatting commands that allow great control over
repetitive formatting structures within a document. For example, using a "style" for
each type of heading in a report will ensure consistent formatting of the headings
and will eliminate the need for a user to manually format each heading as it is
created.

Figure 2.1.2.2a Styles to choose from in Microsoft Word

Macros and Merging

Macros are stored keystrokes, or sets of editing and formatting commands, that
can be replayed whenever needed. Macros can boost productivity and take much
of the tedium out of repetitive word-processing tasks. Merging is the process of
using lists of such information as names, addresses, phone numbers, product
descriptions or model numbers, and so on to fill in designated fields or blanks in
documents to create mass mailings, address labels, directories, and catalogs.

This macro would be useful if you have several documents to work through, in
each of which you have been asked to change the main heading to bold red text. 2
If you needed to change all the sub-headings to italic blue text, you could set up
another similar macro to do that. Alternatively, you could edit the macro directly by
changing the code in the edit window.

Figure 2.1.2.2b Setting up FontChanger macro

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Macros can be used to automate any task within an application program. For
example, they can be used to activate long and complex data manipulations within
a database application, or specialized formatting within any type of document.

Version Control
Version-control features allow a user to track the various stages of editing that a
document may pass through, including versions created by multiple users involved
in the creation and editing of a document. Related features such as the ability to
track changes made in a document enable multiple users to review suggested
document changes and to accept or reject proposed changes.

Automatic References and Indexes

Documents that include tables of contents, cross-references, indexes, footnotes,
endnotes, and captions will benefit from the capability of a word processor to
automatically generate and format these items.
1. headers / footers

Headers and footers are typically used in multiple-page documents to display

descriptive information. In addition to page numbers, a header or footer can
contain information such as: The document name, the date and/or time you
created or revised the document, an author name, a graphic, a draft or revision
number.3
This descriptive information can appear in many different combinations. For
example, the second page of a business letter typically contains a header with the
name of the addressee, the page number, and the date. A report can contain a
footer with the report name and a header with the page number and chapter name.
A newsletter can contain a header with a title and logo on the first page and a
footer with the title and page number of the pages that follow. Adjust your headers
and footers via the "Header and Footer" selection on the View dropdown menu on
the Menu toolbar.
2. endnote / footnote
A footnote is a term used to describe additional information found at the bottom of
a page. Often a footnote will contain the source of the information, or additional
information about the text contained in the document. You can identify any text that
points to a footnote by the small number after the text. Meanwhile, an endnote is
additional information or credits given at the end of the document instead of at the
bottom of each page. The links shown at the bottom of this module page is an
instance of a footnote.
The advantages and disadvantages of endnote and footnotes are shown below:

Footnote Endnote

When readers want to look at the

When your readers want to look at the information in a specific endnote
information in a footnote, they simply have to as they read, they must go to the
look at the bottom of the page. end of your research paper.
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If you use endnotes that

Your readers have instant access to the citation re-number within each chapter or
or a supplemental thought, idea or concept that section, you must remember
is closely related to the material in which the which corresponding number
footnote appears. goes along with that number in
each chapter.

Your footnotes are printed on each page when

Endnotes require a separate
you print your research paper; no additional
page when printed.
printing is necessary.

When you have a higher number of footnotes

on a single page, they can make your paper
Endnotes are not as distracting
appear cluttered or difficult to read; also, if the
and do not clutter the pages of
information in some footnotes is too lengthy,
your paper.
the footnotes may dominate the page and
distract from your paper.

Endnotes let your readers look

Footnotes are distributed throughout all the
over and digest citations and
pages that may require an extra effort if the
notes as a whole since they are
user wants to group all citations as a whole.
all in one place.

3. Index
An index lists the terms and topics that are discussed in a document, along with
the pages that they appear on. To create an index, you mark the index entries by
providing the name of the main entry and the cross-reference in your document,
and then you build the index.

Figure 2.1.2.2c Parameters that may be modified when inserting an index

4. Table of Contents

This is a feature of a word processor that lets one contain in a single page all the
list of headings and subheadings for the entire document together with the page
where they are located.
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Figure 2.1.2.2d Sample Table of Content

Desktop-Publishing Capabilities
Graphical images from clip-art collections, digital photographs, and scanned
images, and drawings created with graphics programs, can be integrated easily
into word-processing documents. Pages and paragraphs can be enclosed with
decorative borders. Background images and colors can be added to pages within
a document. Graphical elements such as lines, boxes, arrows, and artistic textual
headings can be created quickly and easily within most word-processing
programs.
Professional-looking documents such as newsletters, advertisements, annual
reports, brochures, and business cards can be designed with most modern
word-processing software.You may see what are the list of documents that you
can create in the succeeding module.

2.1.2.3 Creating Documents with Available Templates

Word processors may be used not only in creating documents needed in school or
office, but also can be used to create professional-looking documents such as
newsletters, advertisements, business cards, etc.

Although word processors are generally not as sophisticated as

desktop-publishing software or page-layout programs in their capabilities for
setting type and for working with graphical elements, they can be used to create
attractive, professional-looking documents that go beyond the basic layout and
formatting of letters, memos, and reports. Using a word-processing program to
create designed documents is often preferable to using a high-end
desktop-publishing program, however, because word-processing users are not
required to become proficient in using another program and because documents
within an organization or department are created and maintained using the same
application.
Word processors come with available templates that may be downloaded or may
be directly installed with the software. A template is a type of pre-formatted,
fill-in-the-blank document that is useful for maintaining a specific format each time
a document is created, especially when multiple word-processing operators are
involved.
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The types of document that usually come with a template are as follows1:
1. Newsletters
Shortened form of newspaper and informational letter, a newsletter is a small
publication (as a leaflet or newspaper) containing news of interest chiefly to a
special group. Generally used to describe a periodic publication distributed by
e-mail to an opt-in list of subscribers. Newsletters are normally used by
organizations or owners of a Web site to communicate with their readers. The
template allows a user to enter the text of newsletter articles, headlines, and
graphics without having to re-create the newsletter layout for each issue of the
newsletter.

2. Advertisements
An advertisement is a paid, non-personal, public communication about causes,
goods and services, ideas, organizations, people, and places, through means
such as direct mail, telephone, print, radio, television, and internet. An integral part
of marketing, advertisements are public notices designed to inform and motivate.
The word processor allows anyone to be able to create such and be able to have a
print out to be distributed or posted.2
a. Flyers

A flyer is a small piece of paper with information on it about a product or event. This
is usually printed with multiple copies and are either distributed to individuals or
posted on walls.
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b. Brochures

A brochure is
a small booklet or pamphlet, often containing promotional material or product info
rmation. Brochures are usually printed in both sides of a paper, and then folded out
vertically before it is distributed. Because of this, information are usually printed
per columns depending on how many folds will be done

c. Outdoor Mockup / Billboards

Billboards or any roadside mockups may be printed out using word processors.
For large scale type of advertisements, it is advisable to use other tools that can
accommodate the size and structure of the layout being done.
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3. Certificates

This type of document is provided as a prize for something earned by winning a

contest or getting an achievement. For academic qualifications, a document that
certifies that a person has received specific education or has passed a test or
series of tests.

4. Résumé
A résumé is a document used by job seekers to help provide a summary of their
skills, abilities and accomplishments. In other words, a résumé is typically a short
and quick way for a job seeker to introduce themselves to a potential employer (In
North America a résumé should not be confused with a curriculum vitae or CV).

5. Letters
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Formal letters may also be created using word processors. A letter may be, but not
limited to, any of the following:

 cover letter
 letter of introduction
 resignation letter
 internal application
 student reference

Besides the mentioned items above, you may also create documents using
available templates for calendars, invoices, maps, schedules, timelines, and photo
albums.

2.1.3 Examples of Word Processing Software

Although Microsoft Word is the most popular word processor available, there are many other
available options for creating documents. Below is a list of different word processors that are still
being used today1.

1. Microsoft Word

When referring to a word processor, Winword, Word or MS Word is short for

Microsoft Word and also sometimes used as an abbreviation for Microsoft
WordPad. It is more appropriate to refer to each of these programs using their
full names. However, most people automatically assume that "Word" is
Microsoft Word.

Microsoft Word was first released on October 25, 1983 under the
name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems. Its native file formats are denoted
either by a .doc or .docx filename extension.2

Among built-in spell checker, a thesaurus, a dictionary, and utilities for

manipulating and editing text, Microsoft Word also has macros, templates, and
WordArt, bullets and numbering lists, password protection, and auto-summarize
feature.

Under some applications like MS Word, files can be saved directly using other file
types that can be readable by other word processors and even some software
designed for reading documents in specific formats. However, this may cause
some text or picture formatting to be modified as there are layouts or settings
specific only to a certain word processor. It is still best to save these documents on
a file type and open them using the software where they are created.
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2. Google Docs
Google Docs is an online word processor program capable of almost everything
a typical word processor like Microsoft Word is capable of doing without having
to download any software.
Features include text formatting, ability to insert images, select from dozens of
templates, and other media, and collaborative editing for sharing between
computers, devices, and other users.
Supported file types: .doc, .docx, .docm .dot, .dotx, .dotm, .html, .txt, .rtf, .odt

3. OpenOffice Writer
Writer is a software under Apache OpenOffice that is simple for a quick memo, yet capable of
creating complete books with contents, diagrams, indexes. etc. It has autocorrect and
autocomplete features, text frames and linking, multi-page display, and wizards to help produce
professional documents. Standard format is .odt and can be accessed from any
OpenDocument compliant software. It is also capable of reading MS Word documents (.doc
and .docx formats)

4. LibreOffice Writer
LibreOffice Writer is a word processor and publishing tool similar to Microsoft
Office Word and Corel WordPerfect. Writer easily reads Microsoft Word
documents (.docx, .doc), and you can also save your work in Microsoft Word
format. Text frames and linking give you the power to tackle desktop publishing
tasks for newsletters, flyers and much more, with layouts just like you want them to
be. One may also write documents online using this application. LibreOffice Writer
can display multiple pages while you are editing - ideal for complex documents.

5. Corel WordPerfect

WordPerfect (WP) is a word processing application owned by Corel with a long

history on multiple personal computer platforms. The program was originally
developed under contract at Brigham Young University for use on a Data General
minicomputer in 1979. The authors retained the rights to the program, forming
Satellite Software International (SSI) to sell it under the name WordPerfect in
1980. WordPerfect rapidly displaced most other systems, especially after the 4.2
release in 1986. By release 5.1 in 1989, WordPerfect had become a standard in
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the DOS market.3

The common filename extension of WordPerfect document files is .wpd

2.1.4 Integrating images and external material

One may also insert images into a word processor. Placing an image helps in
providing a better visual of the content being discussed in the document and
usually makes the content become interesting and appealing to read.
Images may be taken from the following methods:
a. a file stored from the personal computer to be copied from an open image
handling tool, or to directly insert it into the processor. This process is also
called embedding an image. The data may also be taken from scanners/cameras
which will be pasted directly into the document.

b. a link to the location of the image file stored locally or remotely (from a network
drive)
c. a link accessed from the Internet

Advantages / Embedding an Link to a local or Link to an

Disadvantages Image remote location Internet site

Smaller because
Larger because the Smaller because only
only the link is
Document Size image is directly the link is stored in the
stored in the
placed inside. document
document

If the same image is

pasted in separate Modifications
Modifications done on
documents, done on the
the image will be
Image modifying one from image will be
reflected to all the
Modification the first document reflected to all the
documents that has
will not have an documents that
link to it
effect on the other has link to it
document.

Images will be Proper location

Internet access is
permanently inserted handling of image
necessary in
Mode of in the document should be considered
allowing the
Access wherever the when
image to be
document is stored document/image is
displayed.
or accessed. stored elsewhere

Modifying an Image
Picture formats may vary depending on the characteristics selected. The following
are some of the included formatting styles that the user may implement on an
image:
a. Crop
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This feature is used to remove a portion of an image. For example, the image
below on the left is cropped to get the image of the singe flower. The portion of an
image may be removed from any corner of the image (top, bottom, left, or right).

b. Resize
Resizing involves changing the height and/or length of an image. The image may
be shrunk to save space for images that are too big, or enlarged to make the
image more visible or to give emphasis to some parts of it. An example of resizing
is done below; the image below on the left is resized to make it look smaller. Note
that this technique will adversely affect the resolution, causing some degree of
blurring.

Resizing may be done by just dragging the resizing handle. These handles are
located at each corner of the object, as well as on the top, bottom, left, and right
borders. They are shown once the image is selected, as shown below.
When the corner handle is dragged, the proportional size (height:width) is either
increased or decreased. Meanwhile, the left or right handles are for modifying the
width while the top or bottom handles are for modifying the height.

c. Rotate/Flip
Rotating an image involves changing its orientation in a clockwise or
counter-clockwise manner. This may be done by either choosing the options for
rotation in the toolbar or dragging the rotation handle present on the image upon
selection. For instance, the image below is rotated 90 degrees to the right by
means of dragging the rotated-arrow symbol.
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Flipping the image is also one feature of modifying the image by getting its
mirrored form. This may be done horizontally or vertically. As shown below, the
image is flipped horizontally.

4. Text Wrapping
There are situations when the image is hard to position within the document. There
is a feature for word processors known as text wrapping which allows positioning
of the picture relative to the page and text. By default, an image is in line with
the text.

Based from the image above, the text is aligned with the image of a bird. Text
wrapping makes the image content easy to be moved at any position within a
document.
The image below shows a list of available wrap text options that the user can
choose. Among the options shown, the default one which is In Line with Text is the
layout that is hardest to position as it should be in line with the content present on
the document.
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2.1.5 Mail Merging and Label Generation

As defined in the Cambridge Dictionary Online, "Mail merging is the use of a
computer to produce many copies of a letter, each copy with a different name and
address stored on file, or a computer program that does this."1 It involves merging
a main document with a data source.

A main document contains the text and other items that remain the same in each
label. A data source contains the information that changes in each label, such as
the name and address of each recipient.1

Merge fields that you insert into the main document instruct Word where to print
information from the data source. When you perform the mail merge, Word
replaces merge fields in the main document with information from the data source.
Each row (or record) in the data source produces an individual label.
Data Source
The data source contains the information that can vary in each label, such as a
destination address. You can open an existing data source created or you can
create a new data source and fill in the addressee information.
Here are few examples of data sources you can use for mail merge in word
processors.

 Spreadsheet

An Excel spreadsheet works well as a data source for mail merge if all data is on
one sheet and the data is formatted well, so that it can be read well.

 Mailing Software Contact List

You can retrieve contact information directly from the contact list of your mailing
application, like Microsoft Outlook, on to your word processor.

 Apple Contacts List

You can export Apple contacts into the word processor and use it as your mailing
list for mail merge.
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 Database

Import data from the Database applications before you use it to perform mail
merge. For more information, see Import data from FileMaker Pro database

 Text files

You can use any text file that has data fields separated (or delimited) by tab
characters or commas and data records separated by paragraph marks.
Envelope
When you have bulk mail to send to people on your mailing list, you can use mail
merge to create a batch of addressed envelopes. This is the same one used when
sending a mail via post office. The advantage of using a word processor is that you
can directly print a copy of it and fold it out to be an envelope.
Each envelope will contain an address in your mailing list. You can also create and
print envelopes without using mail merge.

Figure 2.1.5a Creating an Envelope for Mail Merging

Labels
One may use address labels when sending a bulk mail to people in the mailing list.
The following are the documents usually involved in creating and printing labels
using the mail merge process:
Your main document
This is the document you use to set up the layout of the labels in the mail merge.
You can also set up any content that you want repeated on each label, such as
a company logo or your return address on shipping labels.
Your mailing list
Your mailing list is the data source that Word uses in the mail merge. It's a file
that contains the addresses to be printed on the labels.
When you combine those two documents, you'll have your address labels.
Example of a form containing multiple labels are shown in Figure 2.1.5b.
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Figure 2.1.5b Generated Labels using Mail Merging Technique

Steps for Mail Merging

Mail merging requires the given steps below:

1. Creating a Main Document/Template.

2. Creating a Data Source.
3. Defining the Merge Fields in main document.
4. Merging the Data with the main document.
5. Saving/Exporting.

Steps for Label Generation

1. Setting up the Mailing List

2. Prepare the main document for the labels
3. Link the mailing list to your labels.
4. Add the addresses to your labels.
5. Preview and print the labels.
6. Save your labels document.

2.2 Spreadsheets
A spreadsheet is an application designed for managing and organizing the data in
tabular format. This type of document lets users arrange data in rows and columns
of a grid, allowing them to be manipulated and used in calculations. Each cell may
contain either numeric or text data, or the results of formulas that automatically
calculate and display a value based on the contents of other cells. Spreadsheets
are developed as computerized simulations of paper accounting worksheets.
Spreadsheets use formulas to process data and perform integrated calculations.
They're primarily used in business for financial statements, but are also commonly
used for production of breakdown analyses and graphs. The best known
spreadsheet formats are MS Excel and Lotus, developed in the 1980s and
introduced worldwide by the 1990s.1 Spreadsheets have now standardized most
of the old style accounting methodologies and are a primary source of raw data.

2.2.1 History of Spreadsheets

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Daniel Bricklin and Bob Frankston created the first spreadsheet application,
VisiCalc (for "visible calculator"). Lotus 1-2-3 came next, followed by Microsoft
Excel. While Lotus 1-2-3 was the first to introduce cell names and macros,
Microsoft Excel implemented a graphical user interface and the ability to point and
click using a mouse. There are many other spreadsheet applications in the market
today; however, Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel continue to be the most popular.
The table below shows specific timeline for the history of spreadsheets 1.

Year Contribution

Professor Richard Mattessich pioneered the development of computerized

speadsheets for use in business accounting. Mattessich's work and that of
other developers of spreadsheets on mainframe computers probably had
1961 little positive influence on Bricklin and Frankston. Dan Bricklin was preparing
a spread sheet analysis for a Harvard Business School "case study" report
and wanted a program where people could visualize the spreadsheet as
they created it.

Dan Bricklin had programmed the first working prototype of his concept in
integer basic. The program helped users input and manipulate a matrix of
five columns and 20 rows. The first version was not very "powerful" so
1978 Bricklin recruited an MIT acquaintance Bob Frankston to improve and
expand the program. Bricklin calls Frankston the "co-creator" of the
electronic spreadsheet. Frankston created the production code with faster
speed, better arithmetic, and scrolling.

Bricklin and Frankston formed Software Arts Corporation. Daniel Fylstra,

founding Associate Editor of Byte Magazine, joined Bricklin and Frankston
in developing VisiCalc. Fylstra and his firm Personal Software (later
renamed VisiCorp) began marketing "VisiCalc" with a teaser ad in Byte
Magazine. The name "VisiCalc" is a compressed form of the phrase "visible
calculator"

1979

Fig 2.2.2a Screenshot of VisiCalc running on an Apple II computer2

1983 Mitch Kapor developed Lotus and his spreadsheet program quickly became
the new industry spreadsheet standard.
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Figure 2.2.2b Sample Interface of Lotus 1233

Excel was originally written for the 512K Apple Macintosh. Excel was one of
the first spreadsheets to use a graphical interface with pull down menus and
1984 a point and click capability using a mouse pointing device. The Excel
spreadsheet with a graphical user interface was easier for most people to
use than the command line interface of PC-DOS spreadsheet products.

Excel was on the market, being the flagship product for Windows 3.0. It was
the only spreadsheet development for a quite a few years. This gave Excel
1989
the advantage over any Windows based worksheet software that came
afterwards.

IBM acquired Lotus Development and Microsoft Excel is the spreadsheet

1995
market leader.

2.2.2 Features of Spreadsheets

The following are some of the basic features of spreadsheets:1

Visual Design
Most people process data most easily when it is presented visually, rather than
simply existing as a set of hypothetical numbers in the mind. Spreadsheets allow
you to lay figures out on a grid, calculating and manipulating them visually. Often,
this may result in you being able to process the information more quickly. On a
spreadsheet, you may also notice errors or omissions that you would not have
otherwise.

Automatic Calculations
Spreadsheet software gives you the ability to enter mathematical formulas ranging
from simple arithmetic to complex statistics. This is done in a simple and intuitive
manner; to perform a calculation with two different cells on the spreadsheet, simply
click a cell, press a key for a mathematical operator such as the "+" sign and click
the second cell. This is often a much faster way to perform calculations with your
data than a calculator would be.

Dynamic Updates
In addition to the standard method of entering data in a spreadsheet -- typing
numbers in cells -- you can also create a cell with a value generated dynamically
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based on other cells. For example, a cell might display the net profit on the sale of
an item by combining a value in one cell with a certain percentage. Because the
value displayed in the cell is based on the values in two other cells, the cell
dynamically updates when you change either of the referenced cells. This allows
you to test different scenarios by changing the cost of an item, or the percentage of
profit. Any time you base the value of one cell on the value of other cells, the value
of one cell updates automatically when the other is changed.

Data Analysis
Spreadsheet software gives the ability to analyze data in ways other than simply
looking at grids and lines. Most spreadsheet software can automatically create
graphs and charts from your data, giving you different ways of comparing and
analyzing information. These visual representations can also be printed and
emailed, or exported into slide shows for presentations.

2.2.3 How spreadsheets work

One spreadsheet file consists of one or more worksheets. Each worksheet
appears as a grid, in which each row is represented by a number and
each column is represented by a letter ascending alphabetically from left to right.
The spaces that hold items of data are called cells. Rows and columns are labeled
to give each cell a cell address or reference (e.g., D3 means column D, row 3).
From the image in Figure 2.2.3a, the cell being pointed at is at C5 because it seen
at column C and row 5.

Figure 2.2.3a Parts of a Spreadsheet

It is also possible to refer to a range of cells collectively. For instance, E4:E12
includes E4, E12 and all of the cells in-between. This is mostly done when you
want to include a range of values in an operation, say the sum or average of the
selected values.
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Fig. 2.2.3b Reference to a Range from E4 to E12

Data may also be referenced from another worksheet. You may do that by
including the spreadsheet name followed by an exclamation point (!) . For example,
if you have the formula =Sheet2!C4, this means that you are accessing the fourth
row (4) third column (C) from worksheet which is named Sheet2.
Each cell may contain numbers, text or formulas. To place a data inside, simply
click on the cell and key in the data that you wish to input.

2.2.3.1 Formulas under Spreadsheets

A spreadsheet can also be set up with an equation to perform involving a set of
data. This is accomplished by using formulas. Formulas in a spreadsheet are
generally math equations and can be tailored to a specific set of data. The
formulas are formed by telling the spreadsheet program what cells to use when
calculating the equation.
The equal sign (=) is used to start up an equation. For example, if you wanted to
multiply the value of cell C3 by the value D7, enter =C3*D7 in an empty cell where
you want that specific data to appear. The program will then multiply the values of
those two cells and provide you with the final result. If you specifically used
constant values in the formula, then the result will be based from the operation
used and the constants involved (e.g., =5*4 will result to 20 on the cell where the
equation is placed).

Arithmetic operators
The arithmetic operators, in order of precedence, are:

^ Exponentiation

- Negation

*/ Multiplication, division

+- Addition, subtraction

The order of precedence indicates which will be computed first. Groupings come
first, which are those enclosed in parentheses. The sequence from the table,
starting from exponentiation up to addition/subtraction, is followed next. For
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multiplication and division, whichever operation is encountered first from left will be
prioritized. This goes the same with addition and subtraction.

Figure 2.2.3.1a Illustration on how the order of operations is used to calculate

formulas2
With the example given above, it shows
how PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponentiation, Multiplication/Division, Addition/Su
btraction) is implemented. The order is as follows:

1. The subtraction inside the grouping symbol is done (6 - 3 = 3).

2. Exponentiation is done next (2 ^ 2 = 4).
3. Division is implemented first because it is encountered from left to right on
the equation (3 / 4 = 0.75)
4. Multiplication is then executed (0.75 * 4 = 3)
5. Addition is next, as this is seen first before subtraction (10 + 3 = 13).
6. Lastly, subtraction is executed (13 - 1 = 12).

Relational operators
Relational operators compare two numbers or two strings. The result is a logical
value expressed as a number, either 1 (=TRUE), or 0 (=FALSE). The relational
operators, in order of precedence, are:

= Equality

<> Inequality

< Less than

> Greater than

<= Less than or equal to

>= Greater than or equal to

2.2.3.2 Spreadsheet Functions

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A function is a standard operation used to perform common tasks. It involves

using formulas with reserved words.

To be able to use a spreadsheet function, use the same way used in creating
formulas, include the function name, then enter the parameters and data enclosed
in parentheses (). Spreadsheet function parameters can be of the following
formats:

 numbers
 cell and range references
 other functions
 text strings which should be enclosed in quotation marks
 dates and times
 logical values (TRUE, FALSE)
 error values.

Multiple parameters may be included in one function, but each parameter should
be separated by commas. Also, arithmetic operators can be used within
parameters. The examples below show the list of examples on possible usage
of the SQRT and SUM function.

 SQRT(9)

o gets the square root of 9; only one parameter is used.

 SQRT(B4)
o gets the square root of the value seen under B4 cell.
 SQRT(7-D4)

o gets the square root of the difference of 7 and the value under the D4
cell.
 SUM(A9:A36)

o gets the sum of all values from cell A9 up to A36

Let us consider the functions considered to be used frequently in spreadsheets:

SUM()
Gets the sum of the arguments.
VLOOKUP()
This function will search for a piece of information in a large table of data and pull in
any field from that table into your new table.
MAX() and MIN()
Returns the largest and smallest value, respectively, from a series of numbers.
ROUND()
Takes an amount that has many decimals and round it off to the preferred number
of decimals.
NOW()
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Returns the current date and time

SQRT()

Gets the square root of the parameter

Mathematical functions

ABS(x) Absolute value function

ALOGIT(l) Antilogarithmic function
CEIL(x) Rounds x up
E() Euler's number
EXP(x) Natural exponential function
FLOOR(x) Rounds x down
INT(x) Integer value function
LN(x) Natural logarithm function

LOG(x) Logarithm function

LOGIT(p) Logit function
MOD(x,d) Modulo function
POWER(x,p) Power function
RAND(x) Random number function (Uniform distribution)
RANDNORM(m,s) Random number function (Normal distribution)
ROUND(x,n) Rounds the number x to n digits
SIGN(x) Sign value
TRUNC(x) Truncates the number x by removing the fractional part

2.2.3.3 Advanced and complex formulas and computations

A spreadsheet may be able to handle not only a series of arithmetic operations but
also a set of complex functions and formulas to arrive at the expected result 1.
VLOOKUP Function
The VLOOKUP formula has four components:

1. Lookup_value: The value to search in the first column of the table array.
2. Table_array: Two or more columns of data; the values in the first column of
table_array are the values searched by lookup_value.
3. Col_index_num: The column number in table_array from which the
matching value must be returned. A col_index_num of 1 returns the value in
the first column in the table_array; a col_index_num of 2 returns the value in
the second column in table_array, and so on.
4. Range_lookup: A logical value that specifies whether you want VLOOKUP
to find an exact match or an approximate match. If TRUE or omitted, an
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approximate match is returned. In other words, if an exact match is not found,

the next largest that is less than lookup_value is returned. If FALSE,
VLOOKUP will find an exact match. If one is not found, the error value #N/A is
returned.

Consider the formula: =VLOOLUP(A4, Items, 2) * B4

a. A4 is the look up value.

b. Items is the name of the table.
c. The column number from which the matching value should be returned is 2.
d. We want to multiply the resulting value by the number of items sold, which is
B4.
e. We omitted the optional range_lookup since our values all match.

Conditional Functions
Conditional functions, like conditional formatting, are great features to help you
highlight or manipulate select information based on specified criteria. A
spreadsheet evaluates the source against the criteria, and returns a value if the
logical test is “true” and a different value for “false”. In the same way, it will perform
a function, like adding or counting, based on the logical test.

 The elements “value_if_true” and “value_if_false” may be a static value or

another formula.
 Up to 7 functions may be nested to create some very elaborate tests.
 If, Countif, and Sumif perform the logical test using single criteria.
 Countifs, and Sumifs perform the logical test on a range of cells that meet
multiple criteria.
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IF function is straightforward. The reference cell is tested against criteria and will
return a value or perform another function if the test returns true or false.
“Logical_test” includes both the cell reference and the criteria, such as “B4 is less
than 20.”
Syntax: IF(logical_test,value_if_true,value_if_false)
In this example, we are testing against the width of a book. If the width is
under .375 in (3/8 in), the book requires a pamphlet binding (pam). If the width
were equal or over .375 in, the book would require library binding (LB).

Formulas with nested functions

In spreadsheet formulas, nesting one function within another means using one
function as an argument of another function. Here is a very simple example of a
nested formula that includes the SUM function to find the total of the values from
cell B2 up to B6, and ROUND function to round the result to the nearest integer (0
decimal places):
=ROUND(SUM(B2:B6),0)

Of all the spreadsheet functions, IF is nested more often than all others. As you
probably know, the IF function is used to evaluate a specified condition and return
one value when condition is met, and another value when the condition is not met.
However, quote often you have to deal with situations where there are more than
two possible outcomes. And if this case, you can write several IF functions and
nest them into each other:

Array formulas
A single array formula can perform thousands of calculations and replace
hundreds of usual formulas.

Supposing you have 2 columns of numbers, column A and B. And you want to
know how many times column B is greater than or equal to column A when a value
in column B is greater than 0.
This task requires comparing two ranges and you can do this by using the following
array formula:
=SUM((B2:B10>=A2:A10) * (B2:B10>0))
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Statistical functions
Some basic statistical operations like finding mean, median and mode can be
implemented under spreadsheets. Below are the list of basic functions that we can
use in the spreadsheet.
Average Function (Mean)
One of the most used statistical functions is Mean. Mean is simply the average of
all the data, so we can simply use the Average function and select the range which
needs to be averaged. In the example below, if we want to know the mean of the
data from column A, we use =AVERAGE(A3:A13).
Median
Median is a function which is used to find the middle number in a given range of
numbers. When you are finding median manually, you need to sort the data in an
ascending order but in spreadsheet, you can simply use the Median function and
select the range and you will find your median. We take the same example as
above to find the median the set of values in column A. So we use
=MEDIAN(A3:A13).
Mode
Mode helps you to find out the value that occurs most number of times. When you
are working on a large amount of data, this function can be a lot of help. To find the
most occurring value, use the MODE function and select the range you want to find
the mode of. In our example below, we use =MODE(A3:A13) and since 79 is the
value that is seen most of the time (three times), the result of the mode function is
this value.

2.2.4 Charts and Graphs

When a spreadsheet contains a set of data organized within worksheets, you can
represent this data in a form of a chart. This will allow users to view data in a
manner easy to understand. Spreadsheet programs offer automated tools for
transforming data sets into graphs and charts.

Parts of a Graph
All graphs have different parts that enhances the way people may understand the
illustration:
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 Title: Provides a brief description explaining what the graph is all about
 Labels: Both seen at horizontal and vertical sides of the graph telling what
kind of data is being shown
 Scale: Number or any other data representation that shows units used on
the graphs
 Key/Legend: this is seen at the side of the graph that indicates what the
color/image is representing

Different Types of Graph

We have different types of charts that user may be able to use depending on the
type of data to be represented or the manner on how the user should present them:
1. Pie chart

A pie chart is a circular type of chart wherein data are represented by slices. It
is generally used to show percentage or proportional data and usually the
percentage represented by each category is provided next to the corresponding
slice of pie.
2. Bar chart

A bar graph is a type of representation where each data is represented by either a

horizontal or vertical bar. The length of the bar is dependent on the number of data
items corresponding to that row/column. Bar graphs are preferred if the major
concern is the magnitude of data.

3. Line graph

A line graph is a type of graph where the corresponding data is represented by

dots that are interconnected by a line. This is mostly preferred to represent data for
a given set of time as the interconnection illustrates the change in direction if the
data has increased or decreased for a certain period of time.
4. Scatter chart

Scatter charts are almost similar with line graphs except that the dots are not
connected with each other. This type of chart is best used to show the correlation
of variables. This means that it illustrates how much one variable is affected by
another.

2.3 Presentation program

A presentation program is a software package used to display information in the
form of a slide show. It has three major functions: an editor that allows text to be
inserted and formatted, a method for inserting and manipulating graphic images,
and a slide-show system to display the content.
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Fig. 2.3a Businessman presenting using a software

Presentation software (sometimes called "presentation graphics") is a category of

application program used to create sequences of words and pictures that tell a
story or help support a speech or public presentation of information. Presentation
software can be divided into business presentation software and more general
multimedia authoring tools, with some products having characteristics of
both. Business presentation software emphasizes ease- and
quickness-of-learning and use. Multimedia authoring software enables you to
create a more sophisticated presentation that includes audio and video sequences.
Business presentation software usually enables you to include images and
sometimes audio and video developed with other tools.2
There are common uses for this type of software including, but not limited to, the
following:

 teaching a new or complex concept to a group of students

 announcing the launch a new product or service campaign to employees
 training employees on key concepts or new policies
 presenting a proposal to a group
 presenting a periodic evaluation

Presentation software makes the ability to communicate messages to a group of

people much simpler than other delivery methods. The ability to combine text and
graphics makes the presentation visually enticing. Seeing the presentation while
hearing about it helps both visual and audio learners absorb the information.
Some very popular presentation software, such as Microsoft's Powerpoint and
Lotus's Freelance Graphics, are sold stand-alone or can come as part of
office-oriented suites or packages of software. Other popular products include
Adobe Persuasion, Astound, Asymetrix Compel, Corel Presentations, and
Harvard Graphics. Among the most popular multimedia authoring tools are
Macromedia Director and Asymetrix's Multimedia Toolbook. These authoring tools
include presentation capability as well. Most if not all of these products come in
both PC and Mac versions.

A sample video for a presentation using PowToon is shown below. Click the image
to play the video.
Recently, there are multiple presentation tools that are available wherein you use
your Web browser and the tools for creating Web pages, such as Microsoft's
FrontPage and Adobe's PageMill. The ubiquity of these tools and the browser as a
playback device make this a popular approach, especially when a presentation
can combine HTML pages on the hard disk with links to outside sites (if you have a
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live Internet connection). Online presentation software are also available like Prezi
that allows you to use the software while connected to the Internet.

2.3.1 History of Presentation Software

Originally, presentation programs were used to generate 35 mm slides, presented
using a slide projector. As these programs became more common in the late
1980s, several companies set up services that would accept the shows on diskette
and create slides or print transparencies. In the 1990s dedicated LCD-based
screens that could be placed on the projectors started to replace the
transparencies, and by the late 1990s they had almost all been replaced by video
projectors. After that, there were already numerous applications that have been
introduced to replace the way transparent slides are used to be used in
presentation. The table below further discusses the era for presentation software 1.

Year Contribution

The first commercial computer software specifically intended for creating

1979 WYSIWYG presentations was developed at Hewlett Packard and called
BRUNO and later Hpickles are crunchyP-Draw.

The first software displaying a presentation on a personal computer screen

was VCN ExecuVision, developed in 1982. This program allowed users to
choose from a library of images to accompany the text of their presentation.

1982

Figure 2.3.1a Sample slide done using VCN ExecuVision

VCN ExecuVision was the first presentation program for the personal
computer. This program allowed users the ability to manipulate graphics
and text not just for business data, but for all communication purposes.
Created by Visual Communications Network, Inc., the benefits of this
1983
software program were first discussed in the journal of Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers. In addition to the benefits of VCN ExecuVision,
the journal published images created by the software, illustrating the new
emerging software available for personal computers at that time.

Microsoft PowerPoint was developed by Bob Gaskins, a former Berkeley

Ph.D. student who envisioned an easy-to-use presentation program that
1984 would manipulate a string of slides. Gaskins joined a failing Silicon Valley
software firm called Forethought and hired a software developer, Dennis
Austin.2

1987 PowerPoint was called "Presenter" initially by Gaskins, but was changed to
PowerPoint to avoid a trademark problem. This application was the first
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product to attract strategic venture capital from Apple and later the first
significant acquisition made by Microsoft. Forethought and PowerPoint were
purchased by Microsoft Corporation for $14 million

PowerPoint 3.0 was created, which added output of live video color
1992 slideshows including slide transitions, builds, animations, and synchronized
sound and video clips.

2.3.2 Features of Presentation Program

The following are the standard features of a presentation program 1:

 Slides: a container for any mixture of text, images, video, animations, links
and sound that will be displayed one by one during the presentation.
 Layout: this contains formatting, positioning, and placeholders for all of the
content that appears on a slide. Placeholders are the containers in layouts that
hold such content as text (including body text, bulleted lists, and titles), tables,
charts, SmartArt graphics, movies, sounds, pictures, and clip art.
 Templates: existing preset slides and presentations which allow users to
simply put text onto the page. There are already a huge number of designed
templates available to be purchased fairly cheaply from the Internet
 Animation effects: that allow the various elements on each slide to appear
after a certain amount of time or when a presenter presses a button.
 Slide master: this allows the style (font, font size, background etc) to be set
once and then used throughout the presentation
 Transitions: this is how the presentation software “moves” the display of
one slide to another. Transitions usually include dissolving from one slide to the
next or the current slide being moved in some way to show the next slide as
though it was underneath.
 Slide notes: the presenter may be able to see the current slide and any
notes associated with it on his/her display and the audience will see only the
slide on another screen or from a projector.

2.3.2.1 Slides and Layouts

A slide is considered the initial page for anything that is to be presented. Any text,
images, and videos may be placed inside it and be shown during the presentation.
The slides are shown one by one during the presentation, may it be in an animated
manner or by manual transition based from the click/key input of the presenter.
A layout is simply a style defined within a slide. This includes positioning titles,
images and block of texts to make it more presentable to the user.
Sample layouts are shown below:
1. Blank

This layout is the simplest one, considering the slide is bare and has nothing inside
yet. The user is expected to create an own design for that slide and position any
text or attachment within it
2. Title with Content
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This layout allows user to place a title on the top portion of the slide and any
content (text, image, chart, etc.) on the remaining part. The font size of the title
portion is larger compared with the one in the content portion to emphasize the title.
List of items may be arranged in a bulleted or numbered form and may be
displayed with animation for each bullet depending on the transition used.
3. Title

This layout allows a simple title at the center with a subtitle below it. This is used to
startup a set of slides to simply denote what the set is all about.
4. Two Content

This is almost similar with a Title with Content layout wherein the content part is
divided into two. This is useful when the user wishes to illustrate similarities or
differences between the two contents.

2.3.2.2 Animation
In presenting slides, one may be able to add animation effects. Animation has the
following benefits:

 makes a presentation software more dynamic

 helps the presenter to focus on important points
 aids in controlling the flow of information
 helps in increasing viewer interest in one's presentation.

Types of Animation Effects

1. Entrance
This effect is seen as soon as all or some parts of the slide contents are about to be
shown. The animation shows how the contents are shown into the slide. As shown
below, the contents are being displayed one by one, starting from the title, the
three bullets, the chart, and lastly, the image below the chart.
2. Exit
This effect is seen after displaying all the content of the certain slide, right before
the next slide is to be shown, or if it is the end of the slide, right before the
presentation can be ended. The animation shows how the contents are removed
out of the slide.
3. Motion Paths
This effect allows a certain content to move from current position to another
one within the slide. For example, on the slide shown below, the petals moved
across different paths and went back to original positions. The path of the
objects is defined by the user.
4. Emphasis
This effect allows a certain content within the slide to be given importance. For
instance, each column is highlighted for emphasis on the point that needs to be
discussed as shown in the given slide below.
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One can also add sound to increase the intensity of the animation effects.
The transition may be triggered manually via a user input (mouse click or keypress)
or automatically after few seconds or minutes.
Note that too much animation can be distracting. Do not let animation and sound
take the focus away from what you are saying.

2.3.2.3 Slide Master

A slide master is the top slide in a hierarchy of slides that store information about
the theme and slide layouts of a presentation, including the background, color,
fonts, effects, placeholder sizes, and positioning.1
Every presentation contains at least one slide master. The key benefit to modifying
and using slide masters is that you can make universal style changes to every
slide in your presentation, including ones added later to the presentation. When
you use a slide master, you save time because you don't have to type the same
information on more than one slide. The slide master especially comes in handy
when you have extremely long presentations with lots of slides.

Using Slide Master view

Whether you're making significant changes to your slides or just a few small
tweaks, Slide Master view can help you create a consistent, professional
presentation without a lot of effort. You could use Slide Master view to change just
about anything in your presentation, but here are some of its most common uses 2:

 Modify backgrounds: Slide Master view makes it easy to customize the

background for all of your slides at the same time. For example, you could add
a watermark or logo to each slide in your presentation, or you could modify the
background graphics of an existing theme.
 Rearrange placeholders: If you find that you often rearrange the
placeholders on each slide, you can save time by rearranging them in Slide
Master view instead. When you adjust one of the layouts in Slide Master view,
all of the slides with that layout will change.
 Customize text formatting: Rather than changing the text color on each
slide individually, you could use the Slide Master to change the text color on all
slides at once.
 Create unique slide layouts: If you want to create a presentation that
looks different from regular PowerPoint themes, you could use Slide Master
view to create your own layouts. Custom layouts can include your own
background graphics and placeholders.

Because slide masters affect the look of your entire presentation, when you create
and edit a slide master or corresponding layouts, you work in Slide Master view.
As you can see in the above image, you can choose any type of animation
(entrance, emphasis, or exit), font size, text color and alignment for each level in
the bullet. You may also place footers similar to the ones present in word
processors. The effect will be seen in all the slides that use this layout.
When you go to Slide Master view, you'll see that there are several default layouts
associated with any given slide master. Most likely, you will not use all of the
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layouts provided. You choose from the available layouts, the ones that work best
to display your information.

2.3.2.4 Presenter view

You can view your speaker notes privately while delivering a presentation on
multiple monitors. In this way, you can be confident in speaking in front as you
have something from your desktop/laptop that you may look at in case you want to
be reminded of something related to what you are discussing that you suddenly
forget.
The notes can be created for each slide. Their contents may be a summary of the
topic related to the slide or important key points that can remind the speaker about
something that can be discussed during the presentation. The audience will not be
able to see these notes; the only thing visible to them is the presentation slide from
a different monitor or a projector.
Besides the notes, the other things that the presenter can see are:
1. the current slide number
2. slide thumbnails, so that you select a certain slide if you wish to go back or skip
some slides
3. the time elapsed during the presentation

4. icons that can be clicked to execute an action.

Before the presenter can use this feature, some requirements must be met first:
1. The computer that you are using should be able to support the use of multiple
monitors.
2. Proper configuration when setting up before the presentation. This is usually
done especially if you are to use a projector.
3. Verify if your application has its presenter view feature available and is
activated.

2.3.3 Hyperlinks in Presentation Software

A hyperlink, or more commonly called a link, allows the viewer to quickly access
another screen on the computer by simply clicking on a text entry or a graphic
object.
Hyperlinks in a presentation software such as PowerPoint or Open Office Impress
can link to -

 another slide in the presentation, leading either to the following:

o First Slide
o Last Slide
o Next Slide
o Previous Slide
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o Any specific slide depending on its Title

 another presentation file
 another slide in a different presentation
 a website
 an email address
 any other file on the computer

You are not limited to creating hyperlinks to other PowerPoint slides. You can
create a hyperlink to any file on your computer or network, no matter what program
was used to create the other file.
There are two separate scenarios available during your slide show presentation.

 If the hyperlink goes to another PowerPoint presentation, on click, that

presentation will simply open and be the active presentation on screen.

 If the hyperlink is to a file created in another program, on click, the file will
open in its corresponding program. This will then be the active program on
screen.

Anatomy of a Link
Linking (or hyperlinking) makes objects and documents “connected” to each other.
To provide an analogy, consider each slide or presentation to be an individual
computer on a network. Individual computers do some awesome work, but the
network is much more useful, and increases the worth of each individual computer.
In this case, the linking adds the “network” to your PowerPoint files. In any of the
linking scenarios, you will find that three factors are always present.
These are:

1. Anchor: This is the object that you click or hover upon to make the
interactivity happen. These may be any images, pictures, or any texts that
when clicked will allow you to proceed to the destination.
2. Target (Destination): This is what the "anchor" is linked to.
3. Link (Hyperlink): This is what connects the “anchor” with the “target”.

Screen Tip
A screen tip can be added to any hyperlink on a PowerPoint slide. When the viewer
hovers the mouse over the hyperlink during the slide show the screen tip will
appear. This feature can be helpful to indicate additional information that the
viewer may need to know about the hyperlink. A screen tip can be added to any
hyperlink on a presentation slide. When the viewer hovers the mouse over the
hyperlink during the slide show the screen tip will appear. This feature can be
helpful to indicate additional information that the viewer may need to know about
the hyperlink.
For example, a screen tip could tell the presenter to click the slide to open the
recipe slides as shown in the image above. Without a custom screen tip, the
presentation software would simply display the hyperlink address.

2.3.4 Online Presentation Software

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Office suite tends to be expensive such that very few are avail such for
presentation purposes. For this reason, there are programs introduced wherein
one does not need to download an office suite to build great-looking presentations
for work, a talk, or school. There are plenty of online options that work well from
any computer with a web browser, whether it's your desktop, a PC at work, or a
laptop on the go.

Advantages of using Online Presentation Programs

 free or low-cost
 data can be accessed anywhere whenever you need it for as long as you
are online
 files don't need to be carried around inside removable media devices to
create or modify their slides and give a presentation especially if there's a web
browser where the presenter is headed
 it comes with different animations that normal programs from suites do not
have.

Examples of Online Presentation Programs

Prezi

Prezi is a type of visual storytelling medium that connects presenters more

powerfully with their audiences and customers. Unlike slides, Prezis open,
interactive canvas encourages conversation and collaboration, making
presentations more engaging, persuasive, and memorable. Now, Prezi Business
combines the awesome selling power of Prezi with an entire suite of creation,
collaboration, and analytics tools designed just for business teams.1
While other online presentation tools take a more dynamic approach and try to
depart from the PowerPoint-esque style of presentations, Google Sides embraces
it—and that's not a bad thing. If you're already familiar with tools like PowerPoint,
want something familiar but simple and easy to use, Google Slides is the tool for
you. In fact, we should mention it was Another of you favorite PowerPoint
alternatives. It's come a long way since it was introduced, but it manages to
incorporate a professional look and feel along with some interesting and dynamic
transitions, images, presentation themes, and other tools that make it fun and
refreshing to use.1
Like other Google Drive applications, Slides also allows you to collaborate in real
time with other users, and everything is stored on the web, in Google Drive, so you
can get to it any time, on any computer or device, or send it to anyone who needs
to see it. Slides also makes embedding your own images, charts, graphs, videos,
or just about any other type of multimedia relatively easy. Best of all, if you're
coming from a PowerPoint world, Slides can open, save, and convert PowerPoint
files. Offline editing is part of the package, and best of all, it's completely free. If you
have a Google Account, you already have access to it and don't need to sign up for
anything else.
PowToon

If you've seen animated infographics online, you might already have an idea of
what Powtoon can offer; it's perfect for creating video presentations slightly more
lively and charming than the standard PowerPoint fare, with royalty-free music and
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eye-catching looks. Whether its blend of cartoony assets and sprightly animations
is the right thing for you is another question.

Such frivolity may help you stand out, but it might single you out as a presenter
who isn't taking things seriously. That said, Powtoon's dedicated Slides section
provides a more traditional editor for making more straightforward slide decks, and
anything you create there can be later tarted up in the Studio section.
Emaze

Emaze is another great online tool for creating presentations. It has a rich UI, and
lets you create great looking presentations in minutes. It has a wide range of
templates, many created by top designers, that let you make stunning content.
Emaze also has the option of creating cool 3D presentations, which stand out from
the rest. It is cloud-based, built with HTML 5 and accessible across all devices and
platforms. Emaze presentations by default are stored in the .emaze format and
require you to download the Emaze viewer to view offline (only available for
Windows and Mac).
Haiku Deck

It is a presentation software that is powered by Artificial Intelligence. Haiku Deck

lets you create instant presentations, with nearly zero sweat. The point of Haiku
Deck is to help make your storytelling simple and fun. Haiku Deck was founded on
the premise that simple, modern, and elegant slide decks should be the norm,
instead of overly dense, difficult to read, and difficult to digest ones. Similarly, the
service makes creating those presentations easy, thanks to its webapp (and iPad
app). Slides made using Haiku Deck focus on imagery and graphics, with a few
words per-slide, but you're free to customize your slideshows so they work best for
the story you're trying to tell.