1. What is an office package? List any four office packages.
Ans: An ‘office package’ (also called ‘office suite’) is a collection of productivity software or pro-
grams where each software is intended to perform some specialized operations. A number office soft-
ware packages are available in the market for different operating systems. Some examples of such
packages are as follows:
• Office package for Microsoft Windows: MS Office, WordPerfect Office and MS Works.
• Office package for DOS: Breadbox office and Corel WordPerfect for DOS.
• Office package for Mac: NeoOffice, MarinerPak and Microsoft Office for Mac.
• Office package for UNIX: AUIS and Siag Office.
2. What do you know about MS Office? What are the various components of MS Office?
Ans: ‘Microsoft Office’ (MS Office) is a commercial office suite of related applications, services and
servers for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. It was first launched by Microsoft
in 1989, and afterwards, several versions have been released. The current versions of MS Office are
Office 2010 for Microsoft Windows and Office 2011 for Mac OS X. However, MS Office 2003 is one of
the commonly used productivity suites, which was released by Microsoft on 21 October 2003.
Components of MS Office
The first version of MS Office contained only three components including Microsoft Word, Microsoft
Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint. However, over the years, a number of new components have been
added to the suite. For example, the components of MS Office 2003 include Word 2003, Excel 2003,
PowerPoint 2003, Outlook 2003, Access 2003, Publisher 2003, InfoPath 2003, Project 2003, Visio 2003,
FrontPage 2003 and OneNote 2003.
5
Introduction to Office
Packages
M05_ITL-ESL4791_01_SE_C05.indd 88 12/22/2012 4:54:15 PM
Introduction to Office Packages I-89
3. Define word processor and explain its features.
Ans: A ‘word processor’ is an application program used to create, format, edit and print electronic
documents. It enables to develop and modify documents such as letters, reports and memos, store them
electronically on a disk, display them on the screen and print them on a printer. The use of a word-
processing program results in reduced retyping time for error-free hard copy, facilitation of document
revision, change before committing to paper, faster output speed, reduced proofreading and elimination
of stationary wastage.
Features of Word Processor
Using the built-in features of a word processor, you can create letters, tables, newsletters and academic
papers that are easier to revise and much more aesthetically pleasing than the documents created using
a typewriter. Some of the other features that make the word processors a powerful tool to create docu-
ments are as follows:
• Extensive built-in features: Word processors can be used to make mail merge documents,
envelopes, labels etc.
• Easy to learn: To operate word processors, no special skills are required. Most of the word
processors are easy to learn and use.
• Foreign language features: Word processors allow documents to be created in languages other
than English. This is helpful for users who do not know English or require work to be done in some
other ‘specified’ language.
• Table and graphics: The use of tables, charts and graphics is also supported by the word proces-
sors. All these elements increase the visual clarity of the text.
• Linking and embedding: Word processors allow linking and embedding of objects such as a
chart, a video clip, a picture etc. in a document. This is possible by using Object Linking and
Embedding (OLE) technology that can be used to share information between programs.
• Easy formatting: Word processors help in formatting style, font and paragraph to increase the
readability of the text and to enhance the visual appearance.
• Extensive help: Word processors include an extensive built-in help feature that can be used to ask
queries. The users can easily utilize this built-in feature to know how to perform an action or set
of actions etc.
• Spelling and grammar check: Word processors help to check and remove spelling and
grammatical mistakes. They also help in knowing synonym(s) or the meaning of a particular
word.
4. What is MS Word? What are its advantages?
Ans: ‘Microsoft Word’ (MS Word), sold as a part of the MS Office Suite is one of the most popu-
lar and widely used word processors that can be effectively used to produce professional documents
quickly and efficiently. The first version of MS Word was introduced in 1989 that included only some
basic features. Since then, a number of versions have been released (the latest being Word 2010) and
with each version, MS Word has grown substantially with many features such as common spell checker
and data integration. MS Word 2003 is one of the most widely used versions. It is highly versatile tool,
ideal for creating short documents such as letters and memos with enough layout and graphics-handling
capabilities for a sophisticated publishing.
M05_ITL-ESL4791_01_SE_C05.indd 89 12/22/2012 4:54:15 PM
I-90 Computer Fundamentals
Advantages of MS Word
MS Word is a word processor that enables you more than creating and editing a document. It offers a
wide variety of other functions and tools that allow you to format the document. Some of the advantages
of MS Word are as follows:
• You can make changes to a document without retyping the entire document unlike conventional
typewriter.
• Selected text or paragraphs can be moved or copied throughout the document.
• You can arrange the text in columnar style as we see in the newspaper. Textboxes can be added to
the document.
• Page layout and margins can be adjusted as per the requirement.
• Word can provide the statistics of your document such as total number of characters, words or lines
in the document.
• Page numbers and header and footer can be included.
• You can merge multiple files or documents.
5. Write a short note on Format Painter.
Ans: ‘Format Painter’ is a handy feature for formatting text. It provides a quick way of copying
formatting from one piece of text to another. For example, if you are formatting a paragraph heading
with a certain font face, size and style and you want to format another heading the same way, you need
not manually add each attribute to the new heading. Instead, you can use the Format Painter, which is
a time-saving feature for quickly copying the format of a block of text. This can be done by following
the steps:
1. Select the text containing the formatting you wish to copy.
2. To copy formatting to a single location, click once on the Format Painter button ( ) on the Standard
Toolbar. To copy it to multiple locations, double-click on the Format Painter button. Notice that the
mouse pointer changes to resemble a paintbrush ( ).
3. Now, click and drag the mouse to select the text you wish to format and then release the mouse.
4. If the format painter is copied by double-clicking, press the Esc key to come out of painter
mode.
6. What do you mean by headers and footers? Write the steps to insert headers and footers
in a document.
Ans: ‘Headers’ are text that appears at the top of every page, and ‘footers’ contain text that appears
at the bottom of each page. Every Word document contains header and footer areas where you can put
a document title, author name, page number, graphics and any other essentials that you want to repeat
over several (or all) pages in the document. If nothing is inserted in the headers and footers, they still
exist, but are left blank and take up no space on the page. What you put in the header or footer appears
on every page of the document.
To insert header and footer in a document, follow the steps given below:
1. Select Header and Footer option from the View menu. This displays the Header and Footer tool-
bar with a dotted box for header at the top of the page and a dotted box for footer at the bottom of
the page (Figure 5.1).
M05_ITL-ESL4791_01_SE_C05.indd 90 12/22/2012 4:54:16 PM
Introduction to Office Packages I-91
(a) Header
(b) Footer
Figure 5.1 Header and Footer
M05_ITL-ESL4791_01_SE_C05.indd 91 12/22/2012 4:54:18 PM
I-92 Computer Fundamentals
2. Type the text in header and/or footer box. Note that headers and footers can be formatted (like
changing font colour, size, etc.) just like any other text.
3. If necessary, use appropriate options from the Header and Footer toolbar to add time, insert page
number, date, etc., as listed in Table 5.1.
Table 5.1 Header and Footer Toolbar Options
Command Button Description
Insert Page Number
Inserts page numbers that automatically update when pages are added or
deleted.
Insert Number of Pages
Prints the total number of pages in the active document.
Format Page Number Formats the page numbers in the current section.
Insert Date Inserts date that automatically updates, so that the current date is displayed.
Insert Time Inserts time that automatically updates, so that the current time is displayed.
Switch Between Header and Footer Switches the insertion point between the header and footer areas.
Or
Moves the insertion point from header to footer area or vice versa.
4. After text or graphic has been entered, click the Close button on the Header and Footer toolbar or
double-click in the work area to return to work there.
7. Explain any three formatting features in MS Word.
Ans: ‘Formatting’ refers to change the appearance of a document to make it more presentable.
Formatting features of MS Word include text formatting, paragraph formatting, column formatting and
page formatting. Here, we explain text, paragraph and column formatting.
Text Formatting
Changing the attributes of text is known as ‘text formatting’. As you enter and edit text, you can change
its appearance to add emphasis and make the document easier to read. You can change the appearance
of text by setting the typeface (font), size, line spacing and colour. Formatting can be done by using
the Formatting toolbar or by using the Format menu. For example, to format text using the Formatting
toolbar in MS Office Word 2003, follow the steps given below:
1. Select the text to be formatted.
2. Use buttons on the Formatting toolbar to format the selected text. Some of the buttons used in
formatting text are given in Table 5.2.
Table 5.2 Formatting Text
Command Button Description
Font
Changes the font of the selected text.
Font Size Changes the font size of the selected text.
Bold Bolds the selected text.
(Continued)
M05_ITL-ESL4791_01_SE_C05.indd 92 12/22/2012 4:54:18 PM
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.