Word Processor, ha!

Normally, I play golf on Monday mornings but he weather wasn't cooperative today. So here I sit in front of the computer, my mind as blank as the screen of this word processor.

Ever wonder about that name for this utility? It doesn't really do that, you know. Process words. The user does that part. If it did do that, it would not only spellcheck (and replace the misspelled with the proper spelling) but insert the right word where needed and correct the sentence structure along the way. But it doesn't do all that, does it? You might get a spellcheck and there is a grammar parser available somewhere, I think. But do they underline, apply boldface, or italics as needed? I think not. No matter how hard I mash the key down, the letters come out the same as all the rest. No matter how slyly or cleverly I employ that nuance, the letters stay erect.

Back in the early days of computers, you used tricks to emphasize words. Things like the implied _underline_, or the asterisk *emphasis*, or just used ALL CAPS to get the attention to those oh so important words. because we always want our writing to be an echo of our verbalized thoughts. We write as we speak, do we not? I do. In fact, I speak as I type, rolling the words and phrases about in my head as I try to get the feeling I am trying to express to appear in print before me. And there are inflections in tone which I hear, even in my thoughts, as I type. And so often fail to express in printed word.

Perhaps one day some pimply-faced kid will come up with a way to read the brain impulses or the emphasis in your voice as you use that Voice Recognition system to write your blog and put it on the screen the way you intend it to be. And he will either make millions of dollars or be cheated out of it by some smart corporation.

Until that day comes, until we get Real Word Processors, we must struggle along on our own.