A word processor is an electronic device (later a computer software application) for composing, editing, formatting, and printing text. The word processor was a stand-alone office machine in the 1960s, combining the keyboard text-entry and printing functions of an electric typewriter with a recording unit, either tape or floppy disk (as used by the Wang machine) with a simple dedicated computer processor for the editing of text.
Since it could drive an IBM Selectric typewriter (a letter-quality printer), it may be considered the first-word processing program, but the term word processing itself was only introduced, by IBM's Böblingen Laboratory in the late 1960s. In 1969, two software based text editing products (Astrotype and Astrocomp) were developed and marketed by Information Control Systems (Ann Arbor Michigan).
Thus, the Times headlined a 1974 Xerox product as a "speedier electronic typewriter", but went on to describe the product, which had no screen, as "a word processor rather than strictly a typewriter, in that it stores copy on magnetic tape or magnetic cards for retyping, corrections, and subsequent printout". ===Mainframe systems=== In the late 1960s IBM provided a program called FORMAT for generating printed documents on any computer capable of running Fortran IV.
It did not wrap words, which was begun by IBM's Magnetic Tape Selectric Typewriter (later, Magnetic Card Selectric Typewriter). ===IBM Selectric=== Expensive Typewriter, written and improved between 1961 and 1962 by Steve Piner and L.
It did not wrap words, which was begun by IBM's Magnetic Tape Selectric Typewriter (later, Magnetic Card Selectric Typewriter). ===IBM Selectric=== Expensive Typewriter, written and improved between 1961 and 1962 by Steve Piner and L.
Since it could drive an IBM Selectric typewriter (a letter-quality printer), it may be considered the first-word processing program, but the term word processing itself was only introduced, by IBM's Böblingen Laboratory in the late 1960s. In 1969, two software based text editing products (Astrotype and Astrocomp) were developed and marketed by Information Control Systems (Ann Arbor Michigan).
These 1969 products preceded CRT display-based word processors.
Text editing was done using a line numbering system viewed on a paper copy inserted in the Selectric typewriter. Evelyn Berezin invented a Selectric-based word processor in 1969, and founded the Redactron Corporation to market the $8,000 machine.
Berns, FORMAT was described in his paper "Description of FORMAT, a Text-Processing Program" (Communications of the ACM, Volume 12, Number 3, March, 1969) as "a production program which facilitates the editing and printing of 'finished' documents directly on the printer of a relatively small (64k) computer system.
Circa 1970 it began to be feasible to apply electronic computers to office automation tasks.
The first novel to be written on a word processor, the IBM MT/ST, was Len Deighton's Bomber, published in 1970. ===Effect on office administration=== The New York Times, reporting on a 1971 business equipment trade show, said The "buzz word" for this year's show was "word processing", or the use of electronic equipment, such as typewriters; procedures and trained personnel to maximize office efficiency.
Word processing will replace the 'traditional' secretary and give women new administrative roles in business and industry." The 1970s word processing concept did not refer merely to equipment, but, explicitly, to the use of equipment for "breaking down secretarial labor into distinct components, with some staff members handling typing exclusively while others supply administrative support.
The Micom 2000 was said to be a year ahead of its time when it was introduced into a marketplace that represented some pretty serious competition such as IBM, Xerox and Wang Laboratories. In 1978, Micom partnered with Dutch multinational Philips and Dorsey grew Micom's sales position to number three among major word processor manufacturers, behind only IBM and Wang. ===Software models=== In the early 1970s, computer scientist Harold Koplow was hired by Wang Laboratories to program calculators.
In the early 1970s Linolex, Lexitron and Vydec introduced pioneering word-processing systems with CRT display editing.
Redactron was sold to Burroughs Corporation in 1976. By 1971 word processing was recognized by the New York Times as a "buzz word".
The first novel to be written on a word processor, the IBM MT/ST, was Len Deighton's Bomber, published in 1970. ===Effect on office administration=== The New York Times, reporting on a 1971 business equipment trade show, said The "buzz word" for this year's show was "word processing", or the use of electronic equipment, such as typewriters; procedures and trained personnel to maximize office efficiency.
The copy was received on a magnetic tape cassette which accepted corrections, deletions, and additions and then produced a perfect letter for the boss's signature ... In 1971, a third of all working women in the United States were secretaries, and they could see that word processing would affect their careers.
A Canadian electronics company, Automatic Electronic Systems, had introduced a product in 1972, but went into receivership a year later.
A 1974 Times article referred to "the brave new world of Word Processing or W/P.
Thus, the Times headlined a 1974 Xerox product as a "speedier electronic typewriter", but went on to describe the product, which had no screen, as "a word processor rather than strictly a typewriter, in that it stores copy on magnetic tape or magnetic cards for retyping, corrections, and subsequent printout". ===Mainframe systems=== In the late 1960s IBM provided a program called FORMAT for generating printed documents on any computer capable of running Fortran IV.
One of his programs permitted a Wang calculator to interface with an IBM Selectric typewriter, which was at the time used to calculate and print the paperwork for auto sales. In 1974, Koplow's interface program was developed into the Wang 1200 Word Processor, an IBM Selectric-based text-storage device.
The first eight units were delivered to the office of the then Prime Minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, in February 1974. Despite these predecessors, Wang's product was a standout, and by 1978 it had sold more of these systems than any other vendor. The phrase "word processor" rapidly came to refer to CRT-based machines similar to the AES 90.
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 magnetic disk. The AES machine was actually a sophisticated computer that could be reprogrammed by changing the instructions contained within a few chips. In 1975, Dorsey started Micom Data Systems and introduced the Micom 2000 word processor.
Redactron was sold to Burroughs Corporation in 1976. By 1971 word processing was recognized by the New York Times as a "buzz word".
The rudimentary Wang 1200 machine was the precursor of the Wang Office Information System (OIS), introduced in 1976.
In 1976, refinanced by the Canada Development Corporation, it returned to operation as AES Data, and went on to successfully market its brand of word processors worldwide until its demise in the mid-1980s.
For quicker "draft" printing, dot-matrix line printers were optional alternatives with some word processors. ===WYSIWYG models=== Electric Pencil, released in December 1976, was the first word processor software for microcomputers.
The Micom 2000 was said to be a year ahead of its time when it was introduced into a marketplace that represented some pretty serious competition such as IBM, Xerox and Wang Laboratories. In 1978, Micom partnered with Dutch multinational Philips and Dorsey grew Micom's sales position to number three among major word processor manufacturers, behind only IBM and Wang. ===Software models=== In the early 1970s, computer scientist Harold Koplow was hired by Wang Laboratories to program calculators.
The first eight units were delivered to the office of the then Prime Minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, in February 1974. Despite these predecessors, Wang's product was a standout, and by 1978 it had sold more of these systems than any other vendor. The phrase "word processor" rapidly came to refer to CRT-based machines similar to the AES 90.
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 magnetic disk. The AES machine was actually a sophisticated computer that could be reprogrammed by changing the instructions contained within a few chips. In 1975, Dorsey started Micom Data Systems and introduced the Micom 2000 word processor.
The Micom 2000 improved on the AES design by using the Intel 8080 single-chip microprocessor, which made the word processor smaller, less costly to build and supported multiple languages. Around this time, DeltaData and Wang word processors also appeared, again with a video screen and a magnetic storage disk. The competitive edge for Dorsey's Micom 2000 was that, unlike many other machines, it was truly programmable.
The Micom 2000 utilized RAM, which was mass-produced and totally programmable.
The Micom 2000 was said to be a year ahead of its time when it was introduced into a marketplace that represented some pretty serious competition such as IBM, Xerox and Wang Laboratories. In 1978, Micom partnered with Dutch multinational Philips and Dorsey grew Micom's sales position to number three among major word processor manufacturers, behind only IBM and Wang. ===Software models=== In the early 1970s, computer scientist Harold Koplow was hired by Wang Laboratories to program calculators.
As of 2009 there were only two U.S.
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05