Topic 74

Effects of word processing and DTP on the workplace, for example, job loss, deskilling, surveillance by Isaku Oba

The word, word processor, was originally meant any typing tool, usually those such as type writers etc. However, now the word has come to target computer applications which can easily produce printing material. As these applications became more familiar in our lives, mainly owing it to Microsoft Word which has an estimate of 500 million users, word processor came to have a new meaning.

How is it that these applications became so popular that it changed the meaning of a word? The answer might lie in the bountiful benefits it provides in our jobs.

Before the introduction of computers, office work was often hindered by menial and mechanical tasks such as writing on paper, and was unable to complete the actual creative tasks where human capital comes to use the most. The word processor was the ultimate answer to this. Not only did it dramatically shorten the time it took for these menial tasks, but it also allowed the workers to easily change the format of their texts, post images and add other touches to these.

The word processor also include many functions, which were considered only to be a dream by previous typewriter users. Spell check, which allowed the user to create more sophisticated writing, font editors, which allowed users to bring many faces to their texts, and Thesaurus which enabled users to use more sophisticated synonyms of words they already knew. Another notable function of the word processor would be its ability to save the text. Normally when a text was made, it was the only copy available to the author.

However, with word processing applications the number of copies that could be made were now unlimited. This came as an advantage to office workers as they could distribute their writing in presentations, and they would not have to suffer the pain of losing their paper, as even they lost their work, they would be fine as long as the original copy was safe.

We can therefore conclude that the word processor has had a tremendous effect on office working. However it has its downsides too. The increased efficiency by the word processor was expected to decrease the number of hours that employees had to work. However, the actual introduction of the word processor turned out to expose the greedy corporations. Instead of relaxing their employees, they chose to maximize their profits by actually increasing the hours of work. It is therefore estimated that the word processor will continue to increase the quality and efficiency of office work, but also maximize the corporate greed and the hardships of office workers.


Effects of word processing and DTP on the workplace, for example, job loss, deskilling, surveillance by Takafumi Kurihara

We can pick this topic into as social problems. One is the issues made for the word processing, how did this technology emerged, what area of impact does this have and would this be local or global. As I listed above, there are many things to cover this topic.

The issues made or associated with this word processing was that the programmer wanted to make the word processing on the computer easier to than working on hand one by one. Word processing was first made from the Mac. Later on, windows also were able to use this system. These are really made to make our work easier and simple from the old days when we have to do one by one by hands. In this way, we will be able to use the time efficiently and able to correct the mistakes or changes really quickly.

Word processing emerged in end of 20th century. About in 1980’s, the main idea and system was already made. First was made to make or to type some words into a data and save it into the computer to use less paper and place. Mainly this was thought for the office management and the artist who would like to keep data into a small things so they can storage many things in little amount of space. Basically, this was made to help our life easier and efficient.

With this processing, there were many big impacts. Many writers lost the job to write letters and some other stuff for company or a person. People would just sit in front of the desk and work right there, when you have to move your body. Also servicing and new employers are needed to able to use and or fix the word processing. This gave the global impact, and soon in 21st century, the program is almost in every office.

This brings that word processing would affect the employers job and would also make some major difference in people’s life. This program can make people’s life easier but also be unhealthy because you would not move around to exorcise. Another would be that many unemployer and employers would be needed in each place.