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Glossary: Chapter 6

automatic formatting of tabular data
A feature of full-featured word processors which lines up monetary figures under the decimal point, useful for producing tables of figures.

automatic hyphenation
A feature of some word processors, which can be set to let the program automatically divide words at the end of a line according to the rules of hyphenation of the language or suggest a division and wait for user confirmation.

automatic numbering of pages
A standard word processing feature of numbering pages at the top or bottom as the text is being keyed.

automatic renumbering of footnotes
A convenient word processing feature that renumbers when a revision has been made and footnotes have been added or deleted.

automatic speech recognition (ASR)
A lively research area in speech processing to recognize a person's voice and respond to voice commands or type out what has been said.

boilerplate
A block of standard text, such as formulaic parts of a legal document like a will, that are saved and inserted in many documents with a word processor.

centering of text
A cumbersome practice in typewriting that is standard with word processing.

computer concordance
The use of computers to make indexes of words within their context for classic literary texts, the first literary application of computers, begun in the 1950s.

dedicated word processor
A specialized computer typewriter designed only for word processing.

electronic cut and paste (block move)
A standard word processing feature that allows selecting a letter, word, or section of text; deleting it from its current location; and moving it somewhere else in the current or another document.

grammatical analysis
An area of linguistic application of computers in which the machine is programmed to parse sentences, an area of research that needs improvement before it will be widely used in practical applications.

indexing
A text processing application to index a text, which works best when the user is actively involved in the process.

justifying of lines
The ability of a word processor to align both left and right margins, such a tedious process with a typewriter that it is never done.

kerning
A fine printing feature that overlaps the placement of letter combinations for a pleasant visual effect, available in some full-featured word processors.

label maker
A word processing feature making it possible to create labels easily with software and a printer.

mail-merge
A word processing feature that permits personalizing a form letter by merging the letter document and a name and address file before printing.

Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
A technology for connecting electronic music instruments and computers. The information that passes between MIDI devices is a condensed description of the composition. On playback, MIDI controls the generation of sound on a synthesizer.

networking
The process of connecting computers together on a network to that they can communicate among themselves and share resources, such as papers in a writing class.

numeric keypad
The section of a keyboard containing an arrangement of numbers in a square for easy input of numeric data.

on-line commenting system
Similar to computer conferencing, a networking setup used for education so that students can read and comment on each other's written work.

on-line thesaurus
Computer software including a thesaurus to offer a list of synonyms that can be substituted for a word while the writer is using the word processor.

page preview
A convenient graphical addition to a word processor which shows a small image of what the layout of a word processed page will look like when printed, useful for noting single lines at the top or bottom or adjusting margins.

parsing
A linguistic term for breaking up a sentence in a natural language into its syntactical components, such as noun and verb phrases; today a lively subject of computer research.

pattern matching
A computer technique for finding a predetermined pattern, such as a phrase in a long list of cliches.

proportional spacing
A fine printing option of variable spacing between letters for a pleasant visual effect, common in typesetting and available with some full-featured word processors.

Qwerty keyboard
The standard typewriter keyboard layout, named for the first six letters on the top line of characters.

ruler line
A section of some word processor screens for setting options such as margins, tabs, and spacing between lines of text, resembling a ruler in inches or centimeters.

search and replace
A word processing feature that searches for a specific pattern like a word or a phrase and replaces it with another, either automatically or after the user approves the change.

spelling checker
A computer program that checks a document for misspellings and offers suggestions for correction.

style and grammar checker
A software program that checks for punctuation errors, flags awkward usage, and suggests revisions.

Super Video Graphics Adapter (SVGA) monitor
A common type of color computer monitor for graphics display in better IBM-compatibles.

virtual classroom
A distance learning environment in which students and teachers can be physically separated but in contact via a technology supporting remote access like computer networking or video conferencing.

voice mail
A technology which allows a person to send a digitized spoken message to a colleague. The message is stored in a computer and later played back to the recipient when the mail is retrieved.

word processing
Popular applications software designed for composing, revising, printing, and filing written documents.

word wrap
A feature of word processing that allows a person to continue typing beyond the end of a line without pressing the return key. The computer program automatically reformats the material within the margins set by the user.

writing center
A laboratory found in many colleges and schools offering advice about writing improvement. Today many writing centers are using computers for tutorials and conferencing with students.

WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get)
The display of information on a computer screen in a form that closely resembles what will eventually be printed, characteristic of word processing or desktop publishing software on computers with bit-mapped screens.


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