Talk:Word processor
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Hmm, early word processors were "ludicrously clumsy" because they needed people to memorise mnemonic commands? I'm not so sure. Modern word processing software such as that included in OpenOffice or like Microsoft_Word still support mnemonic-like keypresses. They're specifically used to increase editing speed (hands stay on keyboard). Use of such hotkeys is also said to reduce risk of RSI. Specialised text editors like emacs and vi still rely on keypresses and are still very popular. Emacs has the idea of using "chords". The user often holds down several meta key-combinations at once and in sequence (like C-x C-s to save). vi allows users to type commands in sequence, and the hands of the user seldom stray far from the home keys (see: touch typing). (vi has :w to save, or :wq to save-and-quit)
An allegorical(?) story goes that at at least one shop, they had replaced the more common word processors with vi for their secretaries, with the resulting increse in productivity. (Where did this story originate?)
Having said that, using hotkeys takes much longer to learn to do right, and is only really useful for heavy computer users, for whom the rewards in productivity and reduction of medical risks outweigh the cost of learning.
This page seems to have an anti-Microsoft, pro-free software bias.130.15.162.92
- Your edits seem to have a anti-free software, pro-Microsoft bias. To be serious, though, when you have items A and B, and want to list them, you do have to put either A or B first. I would assume the argument to put the proprietary things first is that most people use them; on the other hand, we're under no obligation to provide exposure for commercial entities. Noel (talk) 04:28, 8 Dec 2004 (UTC)
Should Emacs be listed as a word processor? I certainly don't think of it as one (and I'm an Emacs user :-); it's really just a very powerful text editor. Noel (talk) 04:24, 8 Dec 2004 (UTC)
Should we add a list of dedicated word processor hardware such as the Friden Flexowriter, Canon Cat, Brother, and AlphaSmart ?
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WordProcessor