Computer Basics
Applications
There are many different kinds of applications, all with lots of spiffy features. Word processing is the application that is used most often and most widely. We will start with it to learn about the terms and features that are common to most applications, as well as some that are specific to word processing. Then we will look at other major applications and what they do.
Examples of word processing programs: Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, Lotus WordPro, and Open Office Writer.
Word Processing
Word processing is the most used computer application!
It has replaced the typewriter as the main way words are put on paper. Documents can be revised and corrected before they are ever printed. An existing document can be used as a template, or pattern, for a new one. So the user doesn't have to recreate standard documents from scratch each time. This is a major time-saver and helps keep things consistent.
|Purpose: |To produce documents |
|Main advantage: |Can easily change what has been done |
| |Can reuse existing documents as a template |
Steps to produce a document: Create, Edit, Format, Print, Save (often!!)
Let's look at the terms involved in these steps more closely. Most of these terms also apply to the other standard applications, so we will not redefine them for all.
Create
You create a document when you open a blank document and enter text.
Features/Terms:
|Word wrap - |automatically wrapping the text to the next line so it all fits within the screen's width. |
| |Change the size of the screen and the text moves to fit in the space. |
|Cursor - |symbol for where text will appear like: [pic] |
|Enter text- |type new text |
|Scrolling - |moving document around within window |
|Select - |Highlight text, usually by dragging. Commands and keystroke combinations will apply to the selected material. |
|Edit - |make changes |
|Cut - |remove selection from document and store temporarily on the Clipboard, which is a section of computer memory. The Windows Clipboard can |
| |hold only one thing at a time. The Office Clipboard from Office XP and later versions can hold many items. |
|Copy - |duplicate selection onto Clipboard |
|Paste - |place contents of the Clipboard at cursor location |
|Undo - |reverses whatever change you just made |
| |Some programs will only "undo" the last change. |
| |Others keep a list and can undo more, depending on how many changes the program tracks. |
|Insert - |add text at location without overwriting existing text |
|Overwrite - |typing overwrites existing text, replacing whatever characters were there already |
|Delete - |remove text (not saved anywhere) |
|Search - |look for specific word(s) or character(s) |
|Replace - |can replace specific word(s) or character(s) with stated text |
|Template - |a document that serves as a pattern for a new document |
|Thesaurus - |looks for synonyms for selected word |
|Spelling check - |looks for spelling errors |
|Grammar check - |looks for grammar/style errors (of limited help) |
Format
Once a document has been created, or during the process, you arrange how it will look by selecting the kind of letters and their sizes and colors, how much space is left and where, how things line up. This is formatting the document.
Features/Terms:
|Typeface - |set of characters of similar design like: |
|Point size - |one point = 1/72 of an inch like: |
| |12 pt 18 pt 24 pt 36 pt |
|Font - |combo of typeface & point size, includes styles such as BOLD, italics, underline |
|Margins - |space at the page borders [pic] |
|Justification - |left |
| |center |
| |right |
| |justify |
| | |
| |[pic] |
| |[pic] |
| |[pic] |
| |[pic] |
| | |
|Spacing - |space between letters and lines [pic] |
|Borders/shading - |lines around table or page; background color [pic] |
|Headers/footers - |info to repeat on each page [pic] |
|Style sheets - |saved sets of formats to reuse |
|Columns - |columns of text side by side [pic]as in a newspaper |
|Tables - |items listed in rows and columns [pic] |
|Graphics - |pictures and charts |
Print
When a document is finished, it may be printed onto paper.
Features/Terms:
|Choose number of copies/pages to print |
|Choose Orientation: |[pic] |[pic] |
| |Portrait |Landscape |
|Print Preview |shows you how it will look in print |
Desktop Publishing
Desktop publishing does on the computer what used to be done with scissors and glue and other non-computer methods - put together text and graphics for printing. High-end word processors can do much of what a desktop publishing program does, at least for fairly simple documents. The difference between them has become a bit blurred. Look at a national magazine and try to duplicate the layout and graphics quality in a word processor! You will see that there IS a difference. For professional publications, a desktop publishing program gives the precise control needed and also advanced capacities such as preparing four-color separations for commercial printing.
[pic]
Levels of Software
"Desktop publishing" covers a wide range of activities and difficulty levels:
|Professional |Create for commercial printing - magazine, company annual report, newspaper, book, full-color |
| |advertising |
|Small business/home office |Use a wizard or template to create a brochure, business card, or ad and print on your own printer |
|Specialty programs |Make your own greeting cards, calendars, or labels. |
| | |
| |Print T-shirts. |
Major players in the desktop publishing game include Microsoft Publisher, Corel Ventura, QuarkXpress, and several Adobe products - PageMaker, FrameMaker, InDesign.
|Purpose: |To prepare documents with graphics with precise control of the layout |
| | |
|Major Advantages: |Ability to place text and graphics precisely on page |
| |Ability to chain sections together like newspaper columns |
| |Advanced tools for professional work |
Features/Terms:
|Layout - |arranging text and graphics |
|Clip art - |pre-drawn pictures to add to page |
|WYSIWYG - |What You See Is What You Get |
| |pronounced "wiz-e-wig" |
| |How page displays on screen is the same as how it prints |
|separations- |For full color in high quality printing, the paper goes through the printing press 4 times, once for each of the colors cyan, magenta, yellow, |
| |and black (CMYK color system). The print shop must create separate versions of your document, called separations, for each color. |
|rows & |Creates a grid | | |
|columns | | | |
|cell |Intersection of row and column. Can |[pic] |
| |contain text or numbers or a formula. | |
|formula |Calculates value to put in cell, like a | =SUM(C21:C45) |
| |total, an average, interest amount, etc. | =Average(B3:W394) |
| | | =.095*LoanTotal |
|chart |Graphical representation of the data |[pic] |
Spreadsheets
Features/Terms:
A spreadsheet is the application of choice for most documents that organize numbers, like budgets, financial statements, grade sheets, and sales records. A spreadsheet can perform simple or complex calculations on the numbers you enter in rows and columns.
|Purpose: |Organizing numbers |
| | |
|Major Advantages: |Can calculate for you using |
| |formulas |
| |Auto-update of related numbers |
| |when data changes |
| |Can display data in graphs and |
| |charts |
Examples of spreadsheet programs: MS Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, Quattro Pro, and Open Office Calc.
Database
A database is a collection of data that you want to manage, rearrange, and add to later. It is a good program to use to manage lists that are not entirely numbers, such as addresses and phone numbers, inventories, and membership rosters. With a database you could sort the data by name or city or postal code or by any individual item of information recorded. You can create forms to enter or update or just display the data. You can create reports that show just the data you are interested in, like members who owe dues. Both spreadsheets and databases can be used to handle much the same information, but each is optimized to handle a different type most efficiently. The larger the number of records, the more important the differences are.
Examples of databases: MS Access, dBase, FoxPro, Paradox, Approach, Oracle, Open Office Base.
|Purpose: |Managing data |
| | |
|Major Advantages: |Can change way data is sorted and displayed |
[pic]
Features/Terms:
|A flat database |contains files |which contain records |which contain fields |
| | |[pic] | |
A relational database contains tables which are linked together. Each table contains records which contain fields.
A query can filter your records to show just the ones that meet certain criteria or to arrange them in a particular order.
|PIM |
|PIM programs (Personal Information Management) are a special kind of database. A PIM will normally include an address book, a calendar to schedule activities and|
|appointments, and a to-do list where you list chores, calls to make, various things to do. |
|Some popular programs which include PIM functions are Microsoft Office Outlook, Lotus Organizer, Windows Calendar and Windows Contact List, Google Calendar and |
|Google Notebook, Palm Desktop, Novell Groupwise. |
|New versions of these programs add email management, wireless access, and other features for the new, hot technologies. The new goal for a PIM seems to be to |
|vanish into the background, while letting you have access to your email, calendar, and scheduling software from anywhere. |
|Purpose: |
|Tracking personal information like- appointments, address book, birthdays, and phone messages |
| |
| |
|Major Advantage: |
|Quick access to schedule data and address book. Can often be merged into documents directly. |
| |
Graphics
Graphics programs deal with pictures, either static or moving, flat or 3D. There are an amazing number of different formats for images in the world and no one program can handle them all.
Adobe Photoshop is the most widely used graphics program for professionals. PaintShopPro is popular because it offers most of Photoshop's features at a lower cost and with a friendlier interface. There are many other programs. Some specialize in handling photographs or animations or creating logos.
Purpose: To create and edit images
Paint programs work with pictures on a pixel-by-pixel basis, where a pixel is the smallest dot on the screen. Such programs handle photographs and most clipart. MS Paint is this type of program.
|Advantages: |Control over each dot in the picture |
|Disadvantages: |Angled lines are jagged stair steps, especially if enlarged. |
Drawing programs, on the other hand, define images in terms of vectors, that is, equations that describe geometric shapes. Fortunately, the user doesn't have to do the math! Drawing objects in MS Office are vector images.
|Advantages: |Does not get as fuzzy or jagged when the size is changed. |
| |The file size is smaller. |
| | (For the web, the original vector picture at right had to be converted to a bitmap format.) |
|Disadvantages: |Can't change the color of a dot in the middle of a shape. |
Features/Terms
|bitmap image |a picture defined as a series of dots |
|vector image |a picture defined as a set of geometric shapes, using equations |
|animation |a sequence of images that are shown rapidly in succession, causing an |
| |impression of movement |
|pixel |a single picture element, the smallest dot on the screen. A period (.) is made |
| |of 4 pixels in a square. |
|palette |a set of choices, such as colors or shapes |
| |[pic][pic] |
|brush |a tool for drawing lines. May give the effect of using a pencil, a paint brush,|
| |an airbrush spray, chalk, charcoal, felt-tip marker... |
|handles |shapes on a selected object that allow you to change the shape by dragging the |
| |handle |
|fill |colors an enclosed area with one color or pattern |
|cel |a single image in an animation sequence |
Presentations
A presentation program, also known as presentation graphics, links together a sequence of slides containing text and graphics. A slide show might be used for a sales presentation or for training or to enhance any kind of speech.
A presentation program includes a number of tools for creating graphics that are quite useful. High-end programs can add sound and video to the slides.
Three slides from a presentation
Examples of presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint, Corel Presentations, Lotus Freelance Graphics, Harvard Graphics, Open Office Impress
|Purpose: |Turning information into visual form |
|Major Advantages: |Pictures convey info faster than tables of numbers. |
| |Having something to look at helps keep your audience focused on what you are saying. |
Features/Terms:
|[pic] |[pic] |[pic] |
|charts |analytical graphics |slides |
|slide show |The whole sequence of slides shown in order |
|transition effect |The way a slide changes to the next slide. |
| |For example the new slide might appear to slide in from the side over the old slide. |
|animation effect |The way part of a slide appears. For example, a line of text might be revealed one letter at a time. |
[pic]
Example of a Presentation
The slides that make up the presentation Chap1.ppt are shown below. This presentation was written in 1996 as a part of a review for students. There are 10 slides, but the slides are revealed in parts. When you actually go through the presentation, it takes 1 click to change to a new slide or to reveal a new part of a slide.
Slide sorter view of presentation in PowerPoint
Most slides are revealed line by line.
Browser
An Internet browser is a program that lets you navigate the World Wide Web or view HTML pages on a CD or DVD or on your hard disk. A browser displays web pages, keeps track of where you've been, and remembers the places you want to return to.
More information is available over the Internet every day, and more tasks can be done. You can buy books, check on your bank account, buy and sell stocks, even order pizza over the Internet. But you have to have a browser to do it.
Internet Explorer is by far the most popular browser, though there are many others around. Netscape was once the dominant browser. Mozilla FireFox has evolved from Netscape and has become the favorite of many. Google's Chrome is gaining market share. Safari is the browser that comes with Apple computers.
Modern browsers include many of the same features such as tabs instead of separate windows to make it easy to move between several open pages, a list of previously viewed pages (History), a list of places you want to be able to get back to (Favorites), the ability to install add-in programs to view videos in various formats or interact with web pages.
|[pic] |[pic] |
|Internet Explorer 8 |Google Chrome |
[pic]
|Purpose: |Navigating the Internet |
|Major Advantage: |Can display graphics, which older internet applications didn't |
| |Keeps a list of places you want to return to. |
| |Shows HTML pages, which can include links to other pages and files for quick access. |
Graphic: (Feb. 21, 2010)
Email
Email, or electronic mail, is becoming more and more popular as people learn to communicate again with written words. For many purposes it is superior to a phone call because you don't have to catch the person in and you can get straight to the point. No time is wasted on casual conversation. It also leaves a written record to refer back to for a response or if you forget who said what. Email is superior to the traditional office memo because it uses no paper (Save the trees!!) and it can be sent to a whole list of people instantly.
An email client is the program that has to be on your computer to download and manage emails. Commonly used email client programs include Microsoft Outlook, Windows Live Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Eudora.
Another way to handle email is with a web-based email account. Your email is managed entirely through web pages. Your computer needs only a browser to access email, compose new messages, and to reply to messages. HotMail from MSN, Yahoo Mail, and Gmail from Google are popular web-based email sites.
|[pic] |[pic] |
|Windows Live Mail |Gmail |
[pic]
|Purpose: |Transmitting messages between computer users |
|Major Advantage: |Speed |
| |Can send copies to several people at once |
|Major Disadvantage: |You don't know if the receiver actually reads it, though you can find out if they received it. Of course in a phone |
| |conversation you don't really know if the person is actually listening either! |
| | |
| |With no body language or vocal intonations it is difficult to convey the emotional tone you want. Irony and sarcasm |
| |are particularly dangerous since your reader may take you seriously. |
Integrated Software & Suites
Integrated software combines the functions of several programs into one interface. Such a program is usually designed for the beginning or casual user.
Many advanced features are omitted that might be found in stand-alone products. For example, the word processor in an integrated software package would not likely have a way to automatically generate a table of contents and would have fewer options on how to handle footnotes, headers, and footers.
Microsoft Works is an example of integrated software.
[pic]
Suites
A software suite is a set of applications which can each stand alone. They are packaged together for a lower price than if all were bought separately. There are usually enhancements that help the applications communicate with each other, also.
Some popular suites of office software include MS Office, Lotus Smart Suite, WordPerfect Office, OpenOffice, and iWork (for Mac computers). These include several programs, such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentations, e-mail client, address book, and database.
|Purpose: |
|Linking different applications together for better work |
|(integrated software) Simplifying things for new users |
| |
|Major Advantage: |
|Costs less than a set of similar stand alone applications bought separately |
| |
|Major Disadvantage: |
|(integrated software) Lacks many features of the stand-alone versions of the same software. |
| |
|(suites) You may not need all the parts or the advanced features in the collection. |
| |
|Applications Quiz |
|1. The software application that is used the most often is _____. |
|[pic]word processing |
|[pic]desktop publishing |
|[pic]spreadsheet |
|[pic]database |
|[pic]graphical presentation |
|[pic] |
|2. A sequence of images that are shown rapidly in succession is known as ________. |
|[pic]bitmap image |
|[pic]palette |
|[pic]vector image |
|[pic]animation |
|[pic]fill |
|[pic] |
|3. What does WYSIWYG mean? |
|[pic]What You Saw Is Why You Go |
|[pic]What You See Is What You Get |
|[pic]It Means Nothing |
|[pic]What You Seek Is What You Get |
|[pic] |
| |
|4. To publish a magazine a ________ application would be best. |
|[pic]word processing |
|[pic]desktop publishing |
|[pic]spreadsheet |
|[pic]presentation graphics |
|[pic] |
| |
|5. Julian is a sales rep calling on up to 20 businesses a week. To keep track of his appointments and his clients' addresses and phone numbers, he should use a |
|_____. |
|[pic]personal information manager |
|[pic]database |
|[pic]spreadsheet |
|[pic]browser |
|[pic] |
| |
|6. Acme Corp. sells 1000 different products to over 20,000 customers. To record the sales and shipments they would use a _____. |
|[pic]word processor |
|[pic]presentation |
|[pic]spreadsheet |
|[pic]database |
|[pic] |
| |
|7. A single application that combines the major features of several types of applications is called _____. |
|[pic]integrated software |
|[pic]a suite |
|[pic]a combo package |
|[pic]high-end |
|[pic] |
| |
|8. Using a word processor you can change _____. |
|[pic]the size of the font |
|[pic]the typeface |
|[pic]the size of the margins |
|[pic]the spacing between lines |
|[pic]all of the above |
|[pic]none of the above |
|[pic] |
| |
|9. The orientation of the page in which the printed lines run the width (8 1/2") of the page is called _____. |
|[pic]landscape |
|[pic]inverted |
|[pic]normal |
|[pic]portrait |
|[pic] |
| |
|10. An application that can do calculations is ________. |
|[pic]Word Processor |
|[pic]Spreadsheet |
|[pic]Graphics |
|[pic]Presentation |
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