word processor toshiba jw10 standalone word processor released 1978 wordstar released 1978 wordperfect first released for minicomputers in 1979 and later ported to microcomputers a word processor is a computer program or device that provides for input editing formatting and output of text often plus other features early word processors were standalone devices dedicated to the function but current word processors are word processor programs running on general purpose computers the functions of a word processor program fall somewhere between those of a simple text editor and a fully functioned desktop publishing program however the distinctions between these three have changed over time and are somewhat unclear history the first word processing device was patented by henry mill for a machine that was capable of writing so clearly and accurately you could not distinguish it from a printing press word processor program word processor electronic device for older dedicated machines look up word processor in wiktionary the free dictionary wikimedia commons has media related to word processors vteword processors list comparison of early word processors opensource abiword apache openoffice writer bean up to v 2x calligra words gnu texmacs kword libreoffice writer lyx neooffice writer openoffice writer sharelatex ted freeware adobe buzzword atlantis nova bean since v 3x google docs sheets and slides ibm lotus symphony jarte standard textmaker 2008 retailcrossplatform adobe incopy corel wordperfect up to v 90 hangul ichitaro kingsoft writer microsoft word scrivener staroffice writer textmaker classic mac os onlyand classic environment nisus writer macos only apple pages mellel nisus writer express windows only atlantis word processor corel wordperfect since v 100 ibm lotus word pro jarte enhanced microsoft works nota bene mobisystems officesuite polyedit scientific workplace wordpad category this computing article is a stub you can help wikipedia by expanding itvte 