Composing, editing (manipulating) and/or storing a text based document in any style is called word processing.

A word processor can be any tool from a simple pencil to a complicated computer software.

Composing letters and documents started a long time ago. It started with writing using objects such as leaves, stone chips and skin and developed so rapidly as to use a computer software to prepare a document by now.

Word processing software can be defined as a computer programme capable of creating a document, editing its content, modifying (formatting) its colour or style and sometimes printing it in different styles.

Examples for word processing software

It is essential to know how to use a keyboard when preparing a document with a word processing software. By practising to use the computer keyboard correctly, computer typing can become very easy and more efficient.

The keys in the keyboard can be divided into several groups based on the function.

How the keys are arranged in a typical keyboard is shown in Figure 4.1. It is also known as QWERTY keyboard considering the design for alphabets. In some cases, keyboards that are slightly different from this type of keyboard are also available.

Before creating a document, one should have a good understanding about how hands should be kept on the keyboard and manipulate keys.

It is essential to follow the measures given below in order to gain correct computer keyboard skills.

• While starting typing is started, keep the left hand fingers on keys A, S, D and F and right hand fingers on keys J, K, L.

• Use fingers of both hands and always start typing having placed both hands on the correct row of the keyboard.(as shown in the picture)

• Use appropriate keys for the appropriate fingers.

There are a lot of benefits in learning touch typing. For this, use of a typing tutor software can be shown as the most suitable and the easiest way (method) to learn touch typing.

So, you can search and find several software by browsing the internet.

Meanwhile, some examples for typing tutor software that can be downloaded freely from the internet and their web addresses (URLs) are shown below.

Using Sinhala keyboard

Sinhala keyboards can be seen in two types based on the manner of entering Sinhala letters.

Sinhala characters can be entered to the computer both by character keys located in the keyboard and by phonetics keys too.

• Use of Standard Sinhala Keyboard

In this model, it is essential to remember the location of keys on the keyboard. This Sinhala keyboard is used (operated) in present computers and other data communication devices as well. This model is used in Unicode system too.

• Phonetics Keyboard

This is somewhat an easy method and the keyboard can be used according to Sinhala sounds (based on Sinhala sound). Therefore it is not necessary to know the location of the appropriate letters. You can send SMS messages in mobile phone using this method. Therefore, you are already familiar with this method.

Use of Tamil Keyboard

Unicode keyboard is mostly used when typing in Tamil letters.