Great Ideas in Computer Science Basic Office and Scientific Applications COMP 41 – Feb 15

Overview – Chapter 5 Word processing and desktop publishing software have revolutionized writing and publishing Impact of desktop publishing and Web publishing on freedom of the press Future developments in word processing and digital publishing Basic functions and applications of spreadsheets and other types of statistical and simulation programs Computers used to answer “What if?” questions Computers used as tools for simulating mechanical, biological, and social systems

Doug Engelbart Explores Hyperspace Doug Engelbart  Envisioned the potential for computers as productivity tools  In 1968, he demonstrated his Augment system:  Mouse  Video display editing  Mixed text and graphics, windowing  Outlining  Shared-screen video conferencing  Computer conferencing  Groupware  Hypermedia

Word Processors Working with a word processor involves several steps: Entering text Editing text Formatting the document Proofreading the document Saving the document on disk Printing the document

Word Processors Formatting characters Measured by point size (one point = 1/72 inch) A font is a size and style of typeface Serif fonts have serifs or fine lines at the ends of each character 120 pts A 20 pts A 40 pts 80 pts A A A 200 pts Bradley Hand ITC Arial

Word Processors Outliners and Idea Processors Arrange information into levels Rearrange ideas and levels Hide and reveal levels of detail as needed

Spelling Checkers computerized dictionary Synonym Finders computerized thesaurus Grammar and Style Checkers Analyzes words in context, checking for errors of content Points out possible errors and suggests improvements Analyzes prose complexity using measurements such as sentence length and paragraph length Word Processors – Embedded Extras

Form Letter Generators Mail merge produces personalized form letters Create a database with names Create a form letter Merge the database with the form letter to create a personalized letter Personalization beyond name/address Incorporate custom paragraphs based on the recipient’s personal data, makes each letter look as if it were individually written Word Processors – Form Letters

Groupware: software designed to be used by a workgroup Provides for collaborative writing and editing Tracks changes and identifies by the originator’s name Compares document versions and highlights differences in documents Collaborative Writing Tools

Desktop Publishing: The process of producing a book, magazine: Creating text, images Editing text Layout pages Convert to printer format Page-layout software: QuarkXpress PageMaker Adobe InDesign Desktop Publishing

 Produce drawings, photographs, and other graphics to accompany the text  Design a basic format for the publication  Typeset text  Arrange text and graphics on pages  Typesetting and printing pages  Binding pages into a finished publication Desktop Publishing

Paperless Publishing and the Web A common prediction is that desktop publishing - and paper publishing in general - will be replaced by paperless electronic media Electronic Books and Digital Paper The electronic book, or ebook, is a handheld device that can contain anything from today’s top news stories to lengthy novels Digital paper, or epaper, is flexible, portable, paper-like material that can dynamically display black-and-white text and images Beyond the Printed Page

Speadsheets are based on accounting worksheets VisiCalc (Visible Calculator) was designed by Dan Bricklin in 1978 Other people documented earlier designs, by Bricklin’s was the first commercial product Lotus beat out VisiCalc in the 80’s. Lotus added presentation capability (graphs, charts, etc.) Microsoft Excel was introduced for the Mac in 1985 Spreadsheets: The First “Killer App” Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston photo from

Great Idea: Automatic Recalculation Bricklin has said that the idea for VisiCalc came while watch a professor correct a calculation on the blackboard He realized that a computerized spreadsheet could automatically recomputed all affected values VisiCalc image from wikipedia.org

The Malleable Matrix A spreadsheet consists of: Cells (the intersection of a row and column) Addresses (column letter and row number, e.g., A1, C12) Cell A1 Cell C12 Spreadsheets: Cells and Addresses

Spreadsheets can contain: Values, such as numbers and dates Labels, such as column and report headings, that explain what the values mean Spreadsheets: Text and Labels

Formulas allow you to create instructions using mathematical expressions and commands + (plus) - (minus) *(multiplication) / (division) Sum Average Spreadsheets: Formulas and Numbers

Type the first value in the series, such as Qtr 1 or January or 500 Let the software replicate it to other cells Spreadsheets: Automatic Features

Formulas can be: Relative, so they refer to different cells when they are copied Absolute, so the formula references never change when they are copied When the formula in column B is copied to column C, it changes relative to the new column Spreadsheets: Addressing

Any time a change is entered into the spreadsheet, all data related to the change automatically updates When a value is entered in column E or F the value of the related formula in column G is automatically updated Spreadsheets: Automatic recalculation

Functions (e.g., SUM, AVG, SQRT) automate complex calculations Macros store keystrokes and commands so they can be played back automatically Templates offer ready-to-use worksheets with labels and formulas already entered Spreadsheets: Functions and Macros

 Linking spreadsheets together  When the values change in one spreadsheet, the data is automatically updated in all linked spreadsheets  Database capabilities  Search for information  Sort the data by a specific criteria  Merge the data with a word processor  Generate reports Spreadsheets: Integration with Other Apps

“What if?” Questions Spreadsheets allow you to change numbers and instantly see the effects of those changes “What if I enter this value?” Equation solvers Some spreadsheets generate data needed to fit a given equation and target value Spreadsheets: Hypothetical Speculation

Spreadsheet Graphics: From Digits to Drawings  Charts allow you to turn numbers into visual data  Pie charts (show relative proportions to the whole)  Line charts (show trends or relationships over time) Spreadsheets: Graphics

Bar charts (use if data falls into a few categories) Scatter charts (use to discover, rather than to display, a relationship between two variables) Spreadsheets: Graphics

Accounting and Financial Management software allows you to do electronically handle routine transactions: Writing checks Balancing accounts Creating budgets Online banking services Tax preparation Statistical Software: Money Managers

Mathematics processing software Software turns abstract mathematical relationships into visual objects (Example: Mathematica by Wolfram) Generally, they include an interactive, wizard-like question-and-answer mode, a programming language, and tools for creating interactive documents that combine text, numerical expressions, and graphics Automated Mathematics

Statistical and data analysis software Collects and analyzes data that tests the strength of data relationships Can produce graphs showing how two or more variables relate to each other Can often uncover trends by browsing through two- and three-dimensional graphs of data, looking for unusual patterns in the dots and lines that appear on the screen Statistical and Data Analysis Software

Scientific visualization software uses shape, location in space, color, brightness, and motion to help us visualize data Visualization helps researchers see relationships that might have been obscure or even impossible to grasp without computer-aided visualization tools Scientific Visualization Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer ; art is everything else. —Donald Knuth, author of The Art of Computer Programming

Computer modeling uses computers to create abstract models of objects, organisms, organizations, and processes Examples of popular computer models: Games (chess boards, sports arenas, and mythological societies) Models of organisms, objects, and organizations Flight simulators and simulations of science lab activities Business, city, or nation management simulations Modeling and Simulation

Computer simulations are widely used There are many reasons: Safety Economy Projection Visualization Replication Simulation

The accuracy of a simulation depends on how closely its mathematical model corresponds to the system being simulated Some models suffer from faulty assumptions Some models contain hidden assumptions that may not even be obvious to their creators Some models go astray simply because of clerical or human errors garbage in, garbage out is a basic rule of simulation Risks of Simulation

Making Reality Fit the Machine Some simulations are so complex that researchers need to simplify models and streamline calculations to get them to run on the best hardware available Sometimes this simplification of reality is deliberate; more often it’s unconscious Either way, information can be lost, and the loss may compromise the integrity of the simulation and call the results into question Practical Simulation