1. Describe how word processing and desktop publishing software have revolutionized writing and publishing.
In early word processing programs, there was a set sequence to the entirety of word processing which made it both tedious and trivial to the user. Editing and spell checking were non-existent and basically the same functions of the typewriter were employed, just now the user had the ability to view their text on a screen. As they began to develop, things like formatting, margins and spell check began to allow the user to concentrate more on the substance of the document versus spending the majority of their time making sure to spell and use grammar correctly. Modern word processing takes care not only of the content of a paper, but the appearance. Formatting allows you to choose the margins and other useful tools, and also offers the user a wide range of fonts and styles for their work. By taking away the stress (and polluting aspect) of printing out every draft and then having to retype the same paper again for you next draft, contemporary word processors allow more time for the PROCESS of writing; not the process of presenting your writing.
2. Discuss the potential impact of desktop publishing and Web publishing on the concept of freedom of the press.
Everything to do with the internet can be potentionally harmful in the wrong hands, and with the concept of desktop and Web publishing, this is especially relavant. When a user publishes something either online or in one of the many forms of desktop publishing, they are putting their thoughts out on a worldwide forum. As our textbook suggests, these forums ”offers unprecendented mass publishing possibilities to millions of Internet users,” but governments still have the ability to override these forums. When something is published in a newspaper or magazine, it takes a substantial amount of time for governments to catch on and put a stop to and/censor that article; online it is insanely simple. Take two examples from Turkey, WordPress, which we are using, is blocked on all ISP’s that are government controlled because there was a blog that was offensive. Similarly, YouTube was blocked for two days because certain videos were deemed unsuitable. China is also famous for its censorship laws, especially against journalist. Blogs allow journalists to be feel empowered, that their ideas are being consumed with the click of a button; on the contrary, it allows them more easily to be tracked and censored.
3. Speculate about future developement in word processing and digital processing.
With the invention of SmartBoards and even the new technology like iPhones, there are unprecedented lengths to which word processing and digital processing could go to. The most logical in the evolution is for the ability to dictate a paper to your word processor and have it appear before your very eyes. Speech recognition software interpret sound and wavelengths to create a pattern within the computer to implement the words in the word processor. However, this has proved more challenging as the computer will have difficulty differentiating voices and therefore could get overloaded. The first step would be to create a program that has the ability to recognize an individuals voice, but even then the individual would have to speak slowly in a incredibly still and quiet enviornment. Transferring handwritten text onto a word processor seems like an impending accomplishment in the very near future, as SmartBoards have accomplished half of the requirements; all that is left is the transfer of the text on the screen into a word processing document. Either way, the world of word processing, web publishing and desktop publishing will undoubtedly surpass anything we can imagine.
