OpenOffice.org

Word processing programs allow you to perfect your documents before you ever print them. You can edit each piece multiple times before ever committing it to hard copy. If you prefer to work with a red pen in hand, you can print a copy and edit that way. Above all, word processing programs offer you a wide range of control over every aspect of your documents.

Document Input

Whether you prefer to compose documents as you sit at your computer, or write longhand and input them later, word processing programs are a fact of modern life. In school, you might use them to type assignments and papers. At work, you might use them to type reports, letters, and other documents. If you learned to type on a typewriter, but haven't used a computer much, the keyboard layout is the same one that you've already learned -- the keys merely offer less resistance to your fingers as you type.

Document Formatting

A big advantage that word processing programs have over typewriters is the ability to both compose and format your documents using the same program. Not only that, but you can do this and edit your work multiple times before printing a single page. This helps cut down on wasted paper. Line and paragraph spacing, margins, typeface, font size and alignment are just some of the formatting issues you can address via buttons and menus in word processing programs. Click menus along the top menu bar to drop down various options from which to choose. Typeface, font size and alignment are typically accessible just below the menu bar in most word processing programs.

Added Features

Word processing programs allow you to add charts, graphs, tables and images to your documents to enliven the presentation. If your work involves aiming for a target word count, your word processing program offers "Word Count" as an option; this is usually located in the "Tools" menu. If you use an entire word processing suite, such as Microsoft Office, OpenOffice or Apple iWorks, you can usually import items from other in-suite programs, such as the spreadsheet program. Additionally, you can e-mail or share your documents with collaborators via most word processing programs.

Spelling and Grammar Checks

It's unwise to rely on them completely, but spelling and grammar checks in word processing programs offer a second set of eyes -- albeit electronic ones -- to look over your important documents. Criticisms leveled at these checks say that they often leave or introduce errors while giving you a false sense of security in their abilities. Electronic spell-checks, for instance, don't understand context, so may offer incorrect options for synonyms like "there" and "their." Accuracy varies depending on your program, so keep reference books nearby to check it yourself, or ask your local spelling and grammar expert to check your documents.

When a car isn't running correctly, people take them to the shop. You can do the same with a computer, but you can also reduce the trips to the PC shop by taking care of your PC on a weekly basis.

Getting the Software Needed

First, y ou want your PC to be equipped with the necessary software to keep it running in top condition. Go to www.bestfreewaredownload.com. At the top of the screen, click Top Freeware Downloads and find Advanced SystemCare Free 3.7.3. Click download and install this program to your PC.

Getting the Software Needed (Part Two)

Next, go back to www.bestfreewaredownload.com and in the search box key in Auslogics Disk Defrag. Download the Auslogics Disk Defrag version 3.1.10 and install this program to your PC.

Cleaning Your PC

After the two programs are installed, run Advanced Systemcare and click Care. This program will correct your system optimization, prevent spyware and keep out hijacked files.

Do Your Filing

The more organized your PC is electronically, the faster it will perform. Open your auslogics program and click Defrag. This will electronically file everything on your computer.

Anything Can Be Restored

Create Restore points on your PC at least once a month. Click start, all programs, accessories, system tools and system restore. Click create restore point. Once restore point is complete, if you lose any files, now you can go to system restore at any time to restore your system to that date. Anything created after your restore date will not exist.

Your PC Is Great

If you run these programs on a weekly basis before you go to bed at night, your PC will run great and you will never have any worries. Keeping your PC clean and up to date is the key factors in computer maintenance. Always make sure to update your windows once a week when running these programs.

When you paste something into a Microsoft Word 2007 document, Word offers a Paste Options menu that lets you decide how the pasted text will appear. You can keep the text's original format, match it to the surrounding text or keep only the plain text. Immediately after you paste, a small icon appears beneath the pasted section, displaying a clipboard and a piece of paper. To access the Paste Options menu, click this icon immediately after pasting, and the small menu will pop up below the pasted portion. If you start typing after pasting, the button and the menu will disappear.

Keep Source Formatting

If you choose the "Keep Source Formatting" paste option, then the pasted text will appear exactly as it appeared in its original location, where you copied it. It will keep its original font, size, color, hyperlinks and any formatting elements like bolding or italicizing.

To select this option, click the Paste Options icon, then press "K" on your keyboard or click the circle by "Keep Source Formatting" on the Paste Options menu. Word will automatically switch the pasted text back to its original format, if it pasted in a different format.

Match Destination Formatting

If you choose "Match Destination Formatting," then Microsoft Word will match the pasted text to the surrounding text, using the format of the current section of the current document. This helps the pasted text blend in with its surrounding content. This option changes the pasted text's font, size and color to match the surrounding text. Some elements of font formatting, such as italicizing or bolding, will remain, and any preexisting hyperlinks will remain.

To select this option, click the Paste Options icon, then click the circle by "Match Destination Formatting." Word will automatically match the pasted text to your document's current format.

Keep Text Only

The "Keep Text Only" paste option functions like the "Match Destination Formatting" option, matching the text format to the current format of your document. In addition, it also removes rich formatting, which means it'll lose any bolding, italicizing, superscripts or subscripts, underlining and even hyperlinks.

To select this option, click the Paste Options icon, then press "T" on your keyboard or click the circle by "Keep Text Formatting" on the Paste Options menu. Word will keep the words but change the text to match the surrounding text, using only basic font formatting.

Set Default Paste

The bottom option on the Paste Options menu offers to let you "Set Default Paste." If you click this button, it will launch the Word Options dialog box, open to the Advanced section, which contains controls for copying and pasting. Scroll down to the heading "Cut, copy, and paste," and choose the options you prefer. You can set different defaults for pasting within the same Word document, pasting between two Word documents and pasting from an entirely different application. After choosing your default settings, click "OK" at the bottom of the Word Options dialog box.

Word processing teachers need to make sure their students have a good knowledge of basic functions on which to build. The level of skill students develop will affect their efficiency and desirability in today's technology-focused job market.

The Basics

Basic word processing activities are creating saving, and printing documents. Teachers should:

1. Explain how to open the word processing program and describe how the menus and icons simplify access to program functions.

2. Prepare and give to each student a document consisting of three short paragraphs to type. Ask them to type the document but not to correct any mistakes.

3. Explain how the spelling checker function works and run the spell-checker.

4. Show how to save and print the document and close the word processing program.

Retrieving a Document, Adding, Deleting and Moving Text

Once a document has been created, it is important to be able to retrieve it and make changes. Adding and deleting text, moving and copying text are essential skills when modifying a document. The teacher should:

1. Ask students to open the document created in the previous section.

2. Explain how to select and delete a single word and insert a different word into existing text.

3. Explain the difference between the "Delete" and "Backspace" keys.

4. Ask students to delete two or three words scattered about the letter and insert two or three different words.

5. Show students how to copy and paste a paragraph. Ask students to copy the first paragraph and paste it at the end of the document.

Formatting

Emphasize portions of text with bold, italics or underlines. Change the font style and size. Change margins, line spacing and paragraph spacing to ensure the finished document is well-positioned on the page. The teacher should:

1. Explain to students how to add bold, italics or underlining to parts of the document.

2. Show students how changing the font and font size can change the impression the document makes.

3. Demonstrate how changing margins, line spacing and paragraph spacing can alter the appearance of a document.

4. Ask students to change margins, line spacing and paragraph spacing, save the document and close the word processing program.

Inserting objects

A document's appearance and interest is improved by the addition of pictures or graphics, page numbers and links to other parts of the document or a website. The teacher should:

1. Ask students to retrieve the document created earlier. Show them how to insert a graphic and ask them to do so.

2. Explain what a hyperlink is and show students how to create one in their document.

3. Explain how to add page numbers to a multi-page document and change the position of the page numbers.

Printing

Good printing habits save time and paper. Show students how to preview a document before printing, print specific pages in a multi-page document and collate pages as they print.

File processing systems are a type of system used in IT departments to store and manage data for an organization. File processing refers to the creation, storing and content access of files in a database. There are various disadvantages of using a file processing system, however.

Data Duplication and Redundancy

When software is developed independently within the file processing system, this can lead to unwanted duplicated files. This is wasteful since file duplication uses up extra space on the hard drives which could otherwise be put to better use. This can also lead to data integrity loss.

Data Inconsistency

This refers to cases in which there are different copies of the same data, yet the content does not match as it should. This problem occurs when data is updated, but the copies of the data remain old and not updated.

Data Access problems

Using regular file processing systems, it is difficult to access important data in a convenient and timely manner. For general usage, it is usually preferable for a more responsive and user-friendly retrieval system to be in place.

Data Integrity

Data redundancy can lead to problems with data integrity. This refers to the problem of making sure that all database content is accurate.

Security Issues

In most cases, not every user of the system should be able to access every bit of data stored within it. Because of the way in which programs and data are stored in a regular file processing system in an ad-hoc manner, it is rarely practical or even possible to enforce stringent security measures.

In 2002, Sun Microsystem released OpenOffice, a free collection of office productivity tools including Writer, Base, Calc and Impress. The suite is a popular alternative to its main competition, Microsoft Office, because it is free and open source, which means anyone can access the code. Because the programs are evolving constantly, information in this article is accurate only as of June 2009.

Description

Impress is a multimedia presentation program that competes with Microsoft PowerPoint. It can thus open and edit PowerPoint files and save in that format.

Templates

Templates can apply a consistent set of professional standards across all the slides of your presentation. Styles for text, graphics and backgrounds need only be defined once.

Monitors

Impress supports multiple monitors: You can look at your effort on a computer while presenting your slides to an audience through a projector.

Multimedia

Slides can contain video and sound as well as animated transitions. 3D images and text can be created quickly and managed responsively.

Views

The program supports a full range of views, including slides, notes, handouts, drawing and outline. It can easily produce materials that are tailored to audience needs.

More businesses and institutions are making the switch to OpenOffice, the free open-source office suite available for every operating system. Initially developed to be an open source alternative to Microsoft's Office, OpenOffice is today a mature office suite more than versatile enough for most institutions and home users.

Programs

OpenOffice is a suite of programs including Writer, a word processor; Calc, for spreadsheets; Impress, for creating and showing slide-shows; Draw, for creating graphics; and Base, for creating and using databases. As with any office suite, these separate programs each fill a different function necessary in a day-to-day work flow, but share a consistent interface.

Interface

If you've used any Microsoft Office suite prior to 2007, OpenOffice's interface will be familiar to you. OpenOffice's programs feature the traditional "File Edit View" menu bar at the top of the Window, with shortcut bars beneath. Finding the feature you're looking for is typically simple; everything is logically categorized and arranged. Inevitably, however, there will be something you can't find, but OpenOffice's help feature will usually clarify quickly and easily.

Compatability

By default, OpenOffice programs save files in Open Document Formats, meaning computer users without OpenOffice cannot open the files without a special plug-in. As such, it's important to save documents intended to be read by other computer users (such as your clients, your boss or your grandmother) in a standard document format. OpenOffice can save in Microsoft Office's formats, as well as a number of other standards (RTF, for example.) OpenOffice can even export to PDF by default, a universally compatible option for documentation meant to be read and not edited. It's all under the "File" dialogue.

OpenOffice is an office software suite. It is an open source product that is available to download for free and can be used without any license or permission. OpenOffice is similar in many ways to Microsoft Office and, for many users, has been a free alternative to Microsoft's Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs. OpenOffice can be run on any computer and works with both Microsoft's Windows and Apple's OS X operating systems.

A computer work station.

OpenOffice gives users the ability to work in a number of environments. The word processor is used to create the "Text Document" file type and is among OpenOffice's most useful features. Another project type is the Presentation, which combines text, images, sound and transitions to produce multimedia presentations similar to Microsoft's PowerPoint. OpenOffice also features a Spreadsheet project type, a Drawing program, and a Database tool. Each of these project types integrates with the others and contains a tutorial for new users.

Word Processor Basics

The OpenOffice Text Document environment features a full range of text editing tools. Several templates are available, including a personal letter, a fax or an agenda. Text can be altered in terms of size, color and font. Text Documents can also contain hyperlinks and images. OpenOffice also includes many formatting options, including page formatting for changing margins and spacing, text formatting for using columns or grids and bullets and numbering for including and organizing lists.

Other Word Processor Functions

Beyond the basic functions shared with most word processing programs, OpenOffice's Text Document interface gives users access to additional tools. One major difference between OpenOffice and programs such as Microsoft Word is the ability to export text documents in portable document format (PDF). This is useful for archiving text files or preparing them to be displayed on the Internet. OpenOffice also includes customizable templates for footnotes and page numbering, along with a spelling and grammar check program.

Presentations

The Presentation and Spreadsheet project types allow OpenOffice to function as an office suite rather than simply a word processor. The Presentation function creates a slide show from user-created content that can be organized according to any number of slide templates. Full or partial text documents can be imported into a slide. Transitions, such as wipes and fades, are all available to move from one slide to the next. Animation, movie files and sound can also be added to Presentation slides.

Spreadsheet and Other Functions

OpenOffice's Spreadsheet is fully customizable and resembles Microsoft Excel in many ways. It can incorporate text as well as images. The Spreadsheet interface also has shortcuts to a number of common commands such as adding the numbers in any column, computing percentages and color-coding different entries.

OpenOffice also contains a Drawing program, which can perform basic image editing functions and is useful for preparing images for inclusion in a text document or presentation. The OpenOffice database is able to collate data in various forms. Finally, OpenOffice includes a Formula project type, which is useful for working with mathematical notation.

OpenOffice is a freeware suite of programs designed to provide similar functionality to Microsoft Office. OpenOffice Base is the OpenOffice database and chart making utility in this suite. With this component, you can turn a document that you create in OpenOffice Base into a PDF document. There are several aspects to creating a PDF document in OpenOffice Base.

Setup

Click the OpenOffice icon installed on your desktop. In the dialog that pops up, click the "Base" utility. In the wizard that opens, select the database you want to use for the project by browsing to it or elect to create a new database. Click "Next." In the next window, select whether you want to register the database in OpenOffice.org. Also select whether you want to open the database for editing or create tables in the table wizard. Click "Finish," name your database and save it.

Create the Database

Now you will select the parameters for your database. In the "Table Wizard," select whether the database is personal or business related. Select from the categories on the right the "Fields" you want to add to your database table, such as (Account ID, Account Name, Description...). Click "Types and Format." You will move on to select a format you want to use (or click the "+" button to add your own). Click "Set Primary Key." This section helps link the data in your table entries. Make sure that "Create a Primary Key" is turned on. Select Create Table > Insert Data Immediately > Finish. Your table will now open up. Start entering your data into the fields.

Create the PDF

With your document saved, click on it in the Base window. Click "Export." In the dialog that opens, select the pages to be included in the PDF, the format and compression for any images, any notes, bookmarks, general layout, interface and functionality of the PDF document. Click "Export" and the document will be saved as a PDF. Name the file.

IMVU is an online social network that uses 3D avatars and chat rooms. The chat rooms are actually virtual worlds that require a decent computer and high speed Internet. The time it takes to install IMVU is affected by multiple factors, but it is mostly dependent on your computer's specs.

Internet Speed

To install IMVU, it first needs to download. The speed of your Internet connection will greatly influence the length of time it takes to install. Even if you have a fast connection, IMVU will slow down to a crawl if your bandwidth is being used up by another application. This includes streaming videos and music, downloading and using file-sharing programs. If you have other users on a network, their usage will also affect your downloading speed.

Hard Drive Space

IMVU needs at least 2GB of free disk space before installation. If you have just the minimum, IMVU could install very slowly. This is because the space is so limited that the hard drive has to work too hard to write to the disk. Use "Disk Cleanup" by searching for it in the Start menu. It will scan for unnecessary files that can be deleted without harming your computer.

Multi-tasking

IMVU uses a lot of resources, and the less you have available during installation, the longer it will take. Do not browse the Web, open applications or play games while IMVU is installing. Even doing something as minor as checking email can use enough of your processor to slow down the installation.

Previous Installations

If you have ever used IMVU before, data may be left in the cache from the previous installation. The cache collects data about clothing, chat rooms and other miscellaneous items used in the chat client. It's supposed to speed up access to these files, but will run slower as the cache grows. Open IMVU, go to "Settings," then scroll to the bottom and click "Clear IMVU cache."