Ok. So, what exactly is word processing? Well, as the term implies it is all to do with processong words - or manipulating them. You can create, edit and print documents such as letters, posters, leaflets, CD Inserts, faxes etc etc. You can even manage documents to some extent. But isn't that the sort of thing you can do with an ordinary (old) typewriter? A typewriter doesn't have the same flexibility or control over the document. An electronic typewriter has some of the features found in word processing software available for computers but is nowhere near as powerful. A standalone word processing machine is limited in that there is usually no way to upgrade to acquire new facilities or improve existing ones.
But aren't many of the facilities in word processors the same as desk top publishing and where do you draw the line? The line is becoming increasingly blurred as word processing software becomes more complex. Desk top publishing (DTP) allows more control over the page. But we're jumping ahead here.
One of the basic elements of the printed page is the look of the text or the typeface. This is known as the font. There are a number of standard sizes so that if you change the font the new one is the same size relative to the old one. A number of fonts are supplied with the operating system and many software packages install their own fonts. An encylopedia, for instance, may need special mathematical symbols which are not standard issue. The package designers will therefore have included their own font set(s) . There are also hundreds of fonts available for download from the internet as well as there being collections available to buy.
Each font is designed for a range of sizes. The size of a font is measured in points which is about 1/6 inch.The available sizes depend on the font itself and the available printer. Using a size that the font has not been designed for can cause problems. The available sizes are given in documentation that comes with the font or are listed on screen. A scaleable font can have its size changed but a non-scaleable font can't.
In Windows fonts are loaded when the system starts so that they are readily available for use. This means that the more your have the more "headroom" they are going to take up leaving less and less room for your own data or for programs. But don't be afraid to try new ones. You can always uninstall some and keep them handy on a floppy disk, CD etc and install when needed.
Printers come with their own fonts packaged in a ROM chip. These can be made available to the system as extras to use as well as those already installed with the operating system. Fonts which the printer does not recognise are treated as graphics. Extra fonts can often be obtained from the manufacturer.
With bit mapped fonts each character is described by a fixed configuration of dots. They cannot be scaled to different sizes. The definition is held in a font file. Outline fonts describe how characters are shaped by using a series of curves.
A number of font effects are available when using a word processor. You can create emphasis by using italics or making a character or series of characters stand out in bold (like that). Another emphasis effect is underlining. However on the web this can be confused with a hyperlink which the user clicks on to jump to another page. If your document, therefore, is intended for viewing by the world at large it is preferable to use one of the other effects instead to emphasise something. The underscore line used to underline can often be made a different thickness or even two or several lines.
This page was created using Times New Roman font (which as it happens is available on most systems as standard - your browser's options or preferences may be able to tell you what fonts it uses). This will be displayed in a font called Helvetica (provided it is installed on your system).
Superscripts and Subscripts can also be used and your wordprocessor may also allow you to change the colour of the font to further change the appearance of the text.
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