Word Processors
By far and away the most commonly used application, the word processor is used to er...process words (awe-inspiring stuff, this!). Seriously though, a word processor lets you manipulate text and present it in ways that are impossible on a typewriter.
Today's word processors allow anyone to produce top-quality documents that contain text, graphics and data from other applications such as spreadsheets and databases - even web pages!
One of the key things to be aware of with a word processor document is that the document not only contains the text but also formatting commands such as font type and size. Positional commands such as justification and the use of tables (small cells that make it easy to use tabs) can also be included.
Spreadsheets
A spreadsheet can be thought of as an "electronic rough book" used to do calculations. Just as you might use a piece of paper when working out a mathematical problem, a spreadsheet can do the same. The great thing with a spreadsheet is that it is simple to recalculate a value.
For example, suppose you were working on your budget and you have your salary entered. You could get the spreadsheet to calculate a 5% pay rise to see if you can afford that holiday next year. But you might also want to work things out assuming you got 10% or 3%. Spreadsheets allow you to do "What if calculations" like "What if I got a 10% pay rise" or "What if I got a 5% pay rise." All this without having enter the "sum" again (like you would a calculator).
Spreadsheets can be quite complex affairs carrying out all manner of calculations and recalculations based on different values you enter. Anything that requires repetitive calculations is ideal for a spreadsheet. How is this achieved?
Have you ever played the childhood game of Battleships? You remember - you gave a co-ordinate on a grid and your opponent would tell you if you hit something or missed. The co-ordinate was a letter (the column) and a row (the number). So you might say "C5" which meant column "C" (third along) and "5" down.
