How Far Can You Push Word Processing Documents?

If you look at the pace of change over the last one hundred years in the office and in the home, can you blame the word processing software for a lot of it? You could blame the computer but much like a typewriter, they are all over the place yet back in the 1960s and 1970s it was mostly females who did all the typing.

Even going into the 80's and 90's the majority of people doing typing work or admin work were females, so what did the humble word processing software change? Well in days past although most enclosed offices which had male staff did actually have a typewriter, it would often go on unused.

Yesterday's male (most not all) was incapable of typing fast enough, whereas today the human species has a much faster average typing rate and can often type without even looking at the keyboard. Children have one more up on the adults too, the ability to text without looking at the keyboard - surely a much more difficult task.

Past And Current Word Processing Abilities


In newspapers and corporations around the globe, offices used to have central typing rooms where dozens of ladies were sat typing all day long. All the documents that needed typing would go to a central area and then be sent back again.

Mistakes, tippex, typos, crumpled papers all saw an end however with the invention of the desktop computer. Although the typewriter didn't disappear overnight, these computers did move on to the desks of many staff who would have previously used a typist for a single document. Now staff members could type it themselves. If they even fancied, they could buy a computer for the home and take the work back with them, meaning more time with the family. The invention of the printer eradicated typewriters and their huge staffing rooms overnight yet it is the humble word processing software which continues to change the face of work ethics and offices.

The Future of Word Processing


Coming to a mobile near you. It has taken a while to arrive but word processing applets are now widespread on mobile and tablet platforms from iPad and iPhone to Samsung Galaxy and Tab 3.0. You can now write anywhere on earth either directly into software or into emails but the main use of word processing is to spell check, format and add headlines and images. Though the final and most complete word processor is yet to be unveiled, the end point is getting closer.

The next stage of evolution for word processing documents is the ability to confidently translate speech into text and for the user to talk into a recorder as if they were writing. However this will be a temporary solution.

In the distant future, although hopefully not too far away. You will be able to place a receiver on your head which will be able to read your thoughts as you type. The perfect way to have immediacy in getting your thoughts on paper as if you were writing. Mind reading word processing software - eat your heart out!