fridays work

APPLICATIONS

Word Processing

There are many different kinds of applications, all with lots of spiffy features. Word processing is the application that is used most often and most widely. We will start with it to learn about the terms and features that are common to most applications, as well as some that are specific to word processing. Then we will look at other major applications and what they do.

Desktop Publishing

Desktop publishing does on the computer what used to be done with scissors and glue and other non-computer methods - put together text and graphics for printing.

Spreadsheet

A spreadsheet is the application of choice for most documents that organize numbers, like budgets, financial statements, grade sheets, and sales records. A spreadsheet can perform simple or complex calculations on the numbers you enter in rows and columns.

Database

A database is a collection of data that you want to manage, rearrange, and add to later. It is a good program to use to manage lists that are not entirely numbers, such as addresses and phone numbers, inventories, and membership rosters. With a database you could sort the data by name or city or postal code or by any individual item of information recorded. You can create forms to enter or update or just display the data. You can create reports that show just the data you are interested in, like members who owe dues.

Graphics

Graphics programs deal with pictures, either static or moving, flat or 3D. There are an amazing number of different formats for images in the world and no one program can handle them all.

Presentations

A presentation program, also known as presentation graphics, links together a sequence of slides containing text and graphics. A slide show might be used for a sales presentation or for training or to enhance any kind of speech.

Communications

These programs temporarily connect computers to each other to exchange information. They may use telephone lines or dedicated cables for the connection. This allows you, for example, to work at home on the weekend and transfer all you've done to your computer at work before you leave home.

Browser

An Internet browser is a program that lets you navigate the World Wide Web or view HTML pages on a CD or on your hard disk.

Web pages

To create a web page for the Internet, you must write HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) code to define what is on the page, create or acquire the images for the page, and then upload the files to a web server

Email

Email, or electronic mail, is becoming more and more popular as people learn to communicate again with written words. For many purposes it is superior to a phone call because you don't have to catch the person in and you can get straight to the point. No time is wasted on casual conversation. It also leaves a written record to refer back to for a response or if you forget who said what. Email is superior to the traditional office memo because it uses no paper (Save the trees!!) and it can be sent to a whole list of people instantly.

Project mangement

When you have a group of people working together on a complex project, you need a way to manage all the details. A project management program, like Microsoft Project, tracks all of the people, tasks, and deadlines in a major project. By linking to the personal scheduling programs of the people involved, the project management program can see when meetings can be arranged by looking at everyone's scheduled events. It can check for conflicts between parts of the project and for deadline errors

PIM

PIM programs (Personal Information Management) are a special kind of database. A PIM will normally include an address book, a calendar to schedule activities and appointments, and a to-do list where you list chores, calls to make, various things to do.

Intergrated and suites

Integrated software combines the functions of several programs into one interface. Such a program is usually designed for the beginning or casual user

Word Processing

There are many different kinds of applications, all with lots of spiffy features. Word processing is the application that is used most often and most widely. We will start with it to learn about the terms and features that are common to most applications, as well as some that are specific to word processing. Then we will look at other major applications and what they do.