Wikipedia is a multilingual online encyclopedia consisting of collaboratively edited articles written by volunteers worldwide, launched on January 15, 2001, by American entrepreneurs Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger as a wiki-based complement to the more structured Nupedia project.[1] Operating under principles of open access and free content licensing, it has grown into the largest reference work of its kind, with the English edition alone exceeding seven million articles as of late 2025 and attracting hundreds of millions of daily visitors.[2][3]Governed by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation since 2003, Wikipedia enforces policies such as verifiability from reliable sources and a neutral point of view, yet empirical analyses have revealed persistent challenges in achieving impartiality, including measurable left-leaning biases in article content on political and ideological topics.[4][5] Computational studies of phrasing, source selection, and coverage patterns indicate systemic deviations from neutrality, often favoring progressive viewpoints, as corroborated by critiques from co-founder Larry Sanger who has highlighted editorial dominance by left-leaning activists.[6][7] These issues stem from the platform's open-editing model, which, while enabling rapid expansion and broad knowledge dissemination, is vulnerable to coordinated campaigns, vandalism, and the influence of ideologically motivated editors who control key articles through administrative privileges.[8]Despite such controversies, Wikipedia's achievements include substantial factual accuracy in non-controversial scientific and historical domains—often rivaling expert-curated encyclopedias—and its role in accelerating global information access, particularly in underserved regions, through mobile optimization and translations into over 300 languages.[9] However, ongoing debates over credibility underscore the tension between its crowdsourced efficiency and the risks of unvetted or skewed narratives, prompting calls for reforms to enhance balance and source vetting.[10]
Computing and Software
WordPress
WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) written in the PHP programming language and designed to interact with a MySQL or MariaDBrelational database management system.[11] Originally released as a blogging tool forked from the b2/cafelog codebase, it has expanded into a flexible framework supporting static websites, e-commerce platforms, forums, and multimedia sites through its modular architecture.[12] As of October 2025, WordPress powers approximately 43.2% of all known websites globally and holds a 60.6% share of the CMS market, reflecting its dominance due to ease of use, extensive customization options, and a vast ecosystem of extensions.[11]The platform was co-founded by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, who released its initial version, 0.7, on May 27, 2003.[13]Mullenweg, a programmer and former employee at CNET Networks, initiated the project after the original b2/cafelog maintainer ceased development, aiming to create a standards-compliant blogging system with improved usability.[14] Version 1.0, named "Davis" after jazz musician Miles Davis, followed on January 3, 2004, introducing features like categories, comments, and static page support.[14] Subsequent releases added XML-RPC support for remote publishing in 2004, tagging in 2005, and revisions for content versioning in 2006, marking its shift from a niche blog engine to a general-purpose CMS.[15] Development occurs through a volunteer-driven process on wordpress.org, with core updates released biannually; for instance, version 6.0 "Arturo" launched on May 24, 2022, enhancing block editor capabilities.[16]WordPress operates on a LAMP stack—Linux operating system, Apache web server, MySQL database, and PHP scripting—though it supports alternatives like Nginx and PostgreSQL via plugins.[17] Its core includes a template system for layout rendering and a plugin API enabling third-party extensions to modify behavior without altering source code.[18] Themes control site presentation and structure, with over 10,000 free options available in the official repository, allowing users to switch designs via CSS, PHP templates, and JavaScript without coding from scratch.[19] Plugins, numbering in the tens of thousands, add functionalities such as SEO optimization, contact forms, security hardening, and e-commerce via integrations like WooCommerce, which Automattic maintains.[20]The WordPress software itself remains under the GNU General Public License as open-source, with no single corporate owner, though stewardship involves the nonprofit WordPress Foundation for trademarks and Automattic—the venture-backed company founded by Mullenweg in 2005—for significant contributions and hosting services via WordPress.com.[21]Automattic, which reported over 2,000 employees by 2024 and owns plugins like Jetpack, handles the hosted version but does not control the core codebase, leading to occasional tensions with commercial hosts over plugin compatibility and trademark enforcement.[22] This decentralized model fosters a community of millions of users and developers, supported by events like WordCamps, but has drawn criticism for security vulnerabilities in under-maintained plugins and dependency on volunteer fixes.[15] Despite these, its scalability—from single-author blogs to high-traffic sites like those of The New York Times and BBC America—stems from caching mechanisms, multisite networking, and RESTAPI integrations introduced in version 4.7 (2016).[11]
WordPerfect
WordPerfect is a proprietary word processing application originally developed in the late 1970s for use on minicomputers and later adapted for personal computers running MS-DOS and other operating systems.[23] It gained prominence through its robust feature set, including the innovative "Reveal Codes" function that allowed users to view and edit underlying document formatting codes directly, which facilitated precise control over complex layouts.[24] The software's DOS version, particularly WordPerfect 5.1 released in 1989, became a standard in professional environments such as law firms and academia due to its efficiency on limited hardware and support for macros and legal-specific tools.[25]The program's origins trace to 1977, when Alan Ashton, a computer science professor at Brigham Young University, developed an initial word processing tool during a summer project.[26] In 1979, Ashton partnered with graduate student Bruce Bastian to form Satellite Software International (SSI), which commercialized the software initially for Data General minicomputers before porting it to IBM PC compatibles.[27] By 1986, following rapid growth and a name change to WordPerfect Corporation, the company reported revenues exceeding $100 million annually, driven by the software's dominance in the DOS market where it captured an estimated 85% share by 1992.[25] Its popularity stemmed from non-WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) editing that prioritized speed and reliability over graphical interfaces, appealing to users on text-based systems.[24]WordPerfect's market position eroded in the early 1990s amid the shift to graphical user interfaces like Microsoft Windows. The company released WordPerfect for Windows in late 1991, nearly two years after Windows 3.0's debut and a year after its own OS/2 version, allowing competitors like Microsoft Word to gain traction through better integration with emerging standards.[28] By the mid-1990s, despite holding up to 60% of the overall word processing market earlier in the decade, WordPerfect lost ground as Microsoft bundled Word with Office suites pre-installed on PCs.[29] Ownership changes followed: Corel acquired the product from Novell in 1996 for $170 million, and it later passed to Alludo (formerly Corel) in 2021.[27]As of 2021, WordPerfect persists as part of the WordPerfect Office suite, with updates supporting Windows and offering features like PDF editing and eBook publishing tailored for niche users in legal and government sectors where compatibility with legacy .wpd files remains essential.[30] The 2021 edition includes cloud integration and mobile apps, though its user base has contracted significantly from its peak, reflecting broader industry consolidation around Microsoft Office.[31] Despite decline, the software's durability is evidenced by ongoing service packs and its role in specialized workflows resistant to full replacement.[32]
Windows Phone
Windows Phone was a family of discontinued mobile operating systems developed by Microsoft as a successor to the Windows Mobile platform. First released on October 21, 2010, it introduced a distinctive tile-based user interface known as Metro, emphasizing live tiles for dynamic content display and a hub-centric organization of apps and data.[33] The OS aimed to differentiate from iOS and Android through integration with Microsoft's ecosystem, including Office and Xbox Live, but struggled with third-party app availability and market penetration.[33]Development began in the late 2000s under CEO Steve Ballmer, shifting from the aging Windows Mobile (based on Windows CE) to a more consumer-oriented platform. Windows Phone 7 marked the initial launch, supporting limited hardware like single-core processors and 256 MB RAM, which constrained early adoption.[34] Version 7.5 "Mango," rolled out starting September 27, 2011, added features like local token search and multitasking. Windows Phone 8, released October 29, 2012, adopted the Windows NT kernel for better compatibility with desktop Windows, enabling NFC and multi-core support, though it dropped backward compatibility with WP7 apps.[35]Windows Phone 8.1 followed on April 15, 2014, introducing Cortana voice assistant and universal apps shared with Windows desktops. The platform evolved into Windows 10 Mobile in November 2015, aligning more closely with the unified Windows 10 vision, but received its final major update as version 1709 in October 2017.[36]Market reception was mixed; the OS achieved a global peak share of approximately 3.7% in 2013, with stronger performance in Europe (e.g., 12% in the UK that year) driven by Nokia Lumia devices after Microsoft's 2011 partnership with Nokia.[37] However, shipments declined sharply thereafter, falling to 0.7% by Q1 2016 amid competition from Android's open ecosystem and iOS's app store dominance.[38] Microsoft acquired Nokia's Devices and Services division for $7.2 billion in April 2014, rebranding phones as Microsoft Lumia, but sales continued to erode, with only 2.4 million units shipped in early 2016.[38]The platform's failure stemmed primarily from an underdeveloped app ecosystem; key services like native YouTube and Google Maps apps were absent or limited, as Google prioritized Android, reducing developer incentives.[39] Late entry into the smartphone market (three years after iPhone) and inconsistent hardware support, including a pivot to low-end devices, further hampered growth.[40] Microsoft discontinued development in 2017, ending mainstream support for Windows Phone 8.1 on July 11, 2017, and for Windows 10 Mobile on December 10, 2019, advising users to migrate to Android or iOS.[36] By 2020, the OS held negligible market share, marking Microsoft's exit from consumer mobile hardware.[35]
Theoretical Concepts
Weakest Precondition
The weakest precondition of a program statement S with respect to a postcondition Q, denoted \mathrm{wp}(S, Q), is the weakest predicate on initial program states such that, if the predicate holds, every terminating execution of S from such a state ends in a final state satisfying Q.[41] This predicate transformer framework enables backward reasoning in program verification, propagating postconditions through program structures to derive necessary preconditions.[42] Introduced by Edsger W. Dijkstra, the concept formalizes partial correctness by focusing on termination in satisfying states without assuming total termination unless specified.[43]Formally, \mathrm{wp} satisfies monotonicity: if Q_1 \implies Q_2, then \mathrm{wp}(S, Q_1) \implies \mathrm{wp}(S, Q_2); it is also conjunctive and continuous over predicate lattices.[44] For basic statements, \mathrm{wp}(\mathit{skip}, Q) = Q; for assignment x := e, \mathrm{wp}(x := e, Q) = Q[e/x] where Q[e/x] substitutes e for free occurrences of x in Q; for sequential composition S_1; S_2, \mathrm{wp}(S_1; S_2, Q) = \mathrm{wp}(S_1, \mathrm{wp}(S_2, Q)).[45] Conditional statements use \mathrm{wp}(\mathsf{if}\ B\ \mathsf{then}\ S_1\ \mathsf{else}\ S_2, Q) = (B \implies \mathrm{wp}(S_1, Q)) \land (\lnot B \implies \mathrm{wp}(S_2, Q)), while loops invoke the greatest fixed point: \mathrm{wp}(\mathsf{while}\ B\ \mathsf{do}\ S, Q) = \nu Z. (B \implies \mathrm{wp}(S, Z)) \land (\lnot B \implies Q), ensuring invariance under iteration. These rules yield verification conditions solvable via theorem provers, with soundness relative to operational semantics.[46]In relation to Hoare logic, weakest preconditions provide an axiomatic basis for deriving triples \{P\} S \{Q\} where P = \mathrm{wp}(S, Q) is the minimal such precondition, enabling compositional proofs without forward simulation.[47] This approach underpins tools like ESC/Java for modular verification and extends to probabilistic, quantum, and assembly-level programs, though loop invariants require fixed-point computation or abstraction for decidability.[48][44] Variants like weakest liberal preconditions omit termination guarantees, supporting total correctness analyses when combined with separate termination arguments.[45]
Military and Chemical
White Phosphorus
White phosphorus is an allotrope of elemental phosphorus consisting of tetrahedral P4 molecules, appearing as a colorless, white, or yellow waxy solid with a garlic-like odor.[49] It has a density of 1.82 g/cm³, a molar mass of 123.895 g/mol, and melts at 44.1 °C, igniting spontaneously in air above approximately 30 °C due to rapid oxidation, producing intense white flames and thick smoke.[49][50] Unlike stable red or black phosphorus, white phosphorus is highly reactive and stored under water or inert atmospheres to prevent ignition.[51] It is manufactured industrially by heating phosphate rock with carbon and silica in electric furnaces, yielding elemental phosphorus that is distilled to isolate the white form.[49]In military applications, white phosphorus has been employed since World War I primarily in munitions such as artillery shells, grenades, and mortars for creating smoke screens to obscure troop movements, providing illumination flares for night operations, and as an incendiary agent to ignite targets like bunkers or equipment.[52][53] Its use expanded in World War II for similar screening and marking purposes, with rounds often bursting at altitude to disperse particles that burn and generate phosphorus pentoxide smoke.[54] Postwar examples include U.S. forces in Vietnam (1960s) for base defense and illumination, British SAS in the 1982 Falklands War to flush combatants from positions, and various armies in Iraq (2004) and Gaza conflicts for smokescreen deployment over military zones.[55] While effective for non-lethal obscuration, unignited particles can cause secondary fires or burns upon ground contact.[56]Exposure to white phosphorus inflicts severe chemical burns by reacting with moisture in tissues to form phosphoric acid, penetrating skin, muscle, and bone with slow-healing wounds that may require surgical debridement.[56] Inhalation of smoke irritates the respiratory tract and eyes due to phosphoric acids and phosphine gas, while ingestion—historically from contaminated food or accidental handling—triggers acute gastrointestinal necrosis, "smoking stools" from particle extrusion, and multi-organ failure including liver, kidney, and cardiac damage, with lethality in doses as low as 1 teaspoon.[57][58] Chronic low-level exposure has caused "phossy jaw" (phosphonecrosis of the mandible) in match factory workers before safer red phosphorus replaced it in the early 20th century.[59] Environmentally, particles in soil or water oxidize to phosphates, potentially eutrophying water bodies, though primary risks stem from direct human contact.[60]Under international law, white phosphorus munitions are not classified as chemical weapons under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, as their primary effects are incendiary or smoke-producing rather than toxic, but their use is restricted by Protocol III of the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), which prohibits air-delivered incendiaries against civilians or civilian objects.[61][55] Ground-launched systems like artillery lack explicit CCW prohibition but must adhere to general principles of distinction and proportionality under the Geneva Conventions, barring indiscriminate attacks or excessive civilian harm.[55] Not all states, including the U.S. and Israel, have ratified Protocol III, allowing retention for lawful military targeting, though allegations of misuse in populated areas—such as in Gaza (2009, 2023) or Lebanon (2023)—have prompted investigations by bodies like the UN, often contested due to reliance on unverified imagery and witness accounts from advocacy groups with documented partisan alignments.[55][61]
Ideological and Political
White Power
White Power is a slogan originating in the mid-1960s, used by white supremacist organizations to promote the idea of white racial solidarity and political empowerment, often framed as a counterpart to the "Black Power" movement. George Lincoln Rockwell, founder of the American Nazi Party (ANP), introduced the phrase in 1966–1967 amid rising civil rights activism, positioning it as a call for white Americans to assert collective racial interests against perceived threats from integration and non-white advancement.[62] Rockwell elaborated the concept in his 1967 book White Power, arguing for a revolutionary restructuring of society to prioritize white ethnic preservation, drawing on antisemitic and eugenic themes inherited from Nazi ideology.[63] The slogan encapsulated a worldview rejecting multiculturalism and advocating racial separatism, with Rockwell organizing marches under banners emblazoned with "White Power" to provoke public reaction and recruit followers.[64]Following Rockwell's assassination on August 25, 1967, by a disgruntled ANP member, the slogan endured and evolved within fragmented neo-Nazi circles, influencing groups like the National Socialist White People's Party, which succeeded the ANP under Matt Koehl.[65] By the 1970s and 1980s, it integrated into broader white power networks, including the Aryan Nations compound established by Richard Butler in Idaho in 1974, where paramilitary training and conferences fused the slogan with Christian Identity theology positing whites as God's chosen people.[66] The Vietnam War era catalyzed recruitment, as disillusioned veterans—numbering over 2.7 million U.S. participants from 1965–1973—brought combat skills and grievances against federal policies into these groups, forming leaderless resistance cells as theorized by Louis Beam in his 1983 Essays of a Klansman.[67] Empirical data from federal monitoring, such as FBI reports on the 1983–1984 Bruders Schweigen (Order) bank robberies totaling over $3.6 million to fund a white homeland, illustrate how the ideology spurred violent actions aimed at overthrowing the government.[68]In the skinhead subculture emerging in the late 1970s, White Power became a staple chant and tattoo motif, amplified by the white power music scene that sold tens of thousands of albums annually by the 1990s through labels like Resistance Records, founded in 1983.[69] Symbols associated with the slogan include the "WP" hand gesture—extending the index and pinky fingers to form the letters—and numeric codes like 14/88, referencing the "14 Words" mantra ("We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children") coined by David Lane in 1983 while imprisoned for the murder of Jewish radio host Alan Berg. Usage persists in contemporary rallies, with over 165 active white nationalist groups tracked in the U.S. as of 2023, often invoking the slogan amid opposition to immigration policies that shifted the foreign-born population from 4.7% in 1970 to 13.7% in 2019.[70] While mainstream media and academic analyses, influenced by institutional left-leaning perspectives, frequently portray the movement as fringe irrationality, primary documents from adherents reveal a causal logic rooted in demographic decline—U.S. non-Hispanic white population falling from 88% in 1970 to 57.8% in 2020—and historical precedents of ethnic conflict resolution through partition.[66]
Organizations and Institutions
Western Province
The Western Province is one of nine provinces in Sri Lanka, functioning as a primary administrative division with devolved powers under the country's provincial council system. It encompasses three districts—Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara—and covers a land area of 3,684 square kilometers. As the most densely populated and urbanized province, it accounts for 28.1 percent of Sri Lanka's total population according to the preliminary results of the 2024 Census of Population and Housing. The province includes Colombo, the commercial capital and principal port city, as well as Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital housing the national parliament.Governance is led by the Western Provincial Council, an elected body responsible for sectors including education, health, agriculture, housing, and local infrastructure, as devolved by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987. The council elects a Chief Minister and Board of Ministers to oversee provincial administration, while a Governor, appointed by the President, serves as the ceremonial head and coordinates with national authorities. As of 2025, Hanif Yusoof holds the position of Governor, with the council currently dissolved pending elections; the Chief Secretary manages day-to-day operations. The Provincial Public Service Commission handles civil service appointments within the province.Economically, the Western Province dominates Sri Lanka's output, contributing 43.7 percent of the national nominal GDP in 2023, driven by services (45.9 percent share nationally from the province), manufacturing, trade, and port activities centered in Colombo. This share reflects its role as the country's industrial and financial core, though it has seen a slight decline from prior years amid national economic challenges. Key industries include apparel exports, shipping via Colombo Port, and urban commerce, supported by high population density and infrastructure connectivity.
Transportation
WP (Rail Transport)
The WP class locomotives were a series of 4-6-2 Pacific-type steam engines designed and built primarily for passenger services on Indian Railways, introduced in 1947 following World War II as the standard express locomotive.[71] These engines featured a streamlined design adapted for broad gauge (1,676 mm) tracks and were engineered to handle Indian coal's high ash content and low calorific value, with specifications including an axle load of 18.5 tonnes and a boiler operating at 210 psi pressure.[72] The class designation "WP" derives from "Wide firebox Passenger," reflecting modifications for efficient combustion of substandard fuel.[72]Initial prototypes, numbering 16 and designated WP/P, were constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in the United States in 1947, with subsequent production totaling 755 units across various builders, including Indian facilities like Chittaranjan Locomotive Works.[73] The design originated from Indian Railways Board engineers to meet post-independence demands for reliable high-speed haulage, achieving top speeds of up to 110 km/h on express routes.[74] WP locomotives powered key passenger trains through the 1950s to 1970s, serving as the fastest steam class in the network during that era, before diesel and electric traction phased them out by the mid-1980s.[72]Several WP locomotives have been preserved for heritage operations and static display, including WP 7200 "Azad," restored to working condition in 2018 at Rewari Steam Locomotive Shed for occasional excursion runs.[72] Other examples, such as those at the National Railway Museum in New Delhi, highlight the class's role in India's steam era transition.[74] The WP's enduring legacy stems from its adaptability to local conditions, contributing to the expansion of rail passenger traffic in the decades following independence.[71]
Slang and Informal Usage
Well Played
"WP" is an abbreviation for "well played," a slang expression originating in online multiplayer gaming communities to acknowledge skillful execution of strategies or strong overall performance by players, teammates, or opponents.[75][76] This usage emerged in competitive real-time strategy games like StarCraft, where it is listed in game-specific terminology as a post-match commendation for effective play.[77]Players typically type "WP" in chat interfaces during or immediately after games, such as in League of Legends or Diablo, to convey respect without implying victory or defeat, fostering a culture of mutual recognition amid intense competition.[78][79] It frequently pairs with "GG" (good game) to form "GG WP," a fuller phrase emphasizing both the match quality and individual prowess, often initiated by the losing side to concede gracefully.[80][81]Beyond gaming, "WP" has extended to non-digital contexts for praising astute decisions or maneuvers in real-life scenarios, such as business negotiations or sports, mirroring its core intent of highlighting competence.[81][82] While informal and concise for quick digital communication, its adoption reflects evolving onlineetiquette prioritizing civility in adversarial environments.[83]
Weather Permitting
"Weather permitting" is an idiomatic English phrase used to qualify statements or plans by indicating that they are contingent upon favorable weather conditions.[84] The expression implies that an activity, such as an outdoor event or operation, will proceed only if meteorological conditions allow, thereby acknowledging inherent uncertainties in weather-dependent scheduling.[85]The phrase is frequently abbreviated as "WP" or "W.P." in professional and technical contexts, particularly where precise documentation of contingencies is required.[86][87] This abbreviation appears in maritime shipping and chartering agreements, where it specifies that loading or discharging operations—and associated laytime calculations—do not commence or count during inclement weather that prevents safe work.[88][89] For instance, voyage charters may include clauses stating "weather permitting" to exempt parties from delays caused by storms or high winds, a practice rooted in the need to mitigate risks in open-sea or port environments.[88]In informal usage, "weather permitting" serves as a caveat in everyday communication, such as invitations or forecasts: "The outdoor concert is scheduled for Saturday, weather permitting."[90] This colloquial application underscores a pragmatic realism about environmental variability, often evoking British cultural tendencies to reference weather as a conversational staple due to the region's unpredictable climate patterns.[91] While the full phrase dates to at least the early 20th century in literary and nautical records, its abbreviation gained traction in 20th-century commercial documentation to streamline contracts amid frequent weather disruptions in globaltrade.[92]
Miscellaneous
Wettable Powder
A wettable powder (WP) is a pesticide formulation consisting of active ingredients finely ground and mixed with inert carriers, wetting agents, and dispersants to form a dry powder that disperses into a suspension when added to water for spray application.[93][94] These formulations are commonly used for insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides in agricultural, horticultural, and turf management settings.[95]WP compositions typically include 5% to 95% active ingredient by weight, with concentrations often around 50% or higher, combined with diluents such as mineral clays or hydrophilic materials like kaolin.[96][97]Wetting agents (e.g., surfactants like Tween) and dispersants (e.g., lignosulfonic acid sodium or polyacrylic acid sodium) facilitate suspension in water, preventing clumping, while the particles remain insoluble and settle rapidly without continuous agitation.[98][99]Advantages of WP include high stability and extended shelf life compared to some liquid formulations, effective residual pest control due to particle adhesion on surfaces, and relatively lower dermal toxicity risks versus emulsifiable concentrates.[100][101] They are cost-effective for large-scale applications and compatible with most hydraulic spray equipment that provides agitation.[95]Disadvantages encompass dust generation during handling, which poses inhalation hazards to applicators unless mitigated by water-soluble packaging, and the need for vigorous mixing to avoid settling or nozzle clogging in sprays.[96][97] The abrasive nature of particles can wear equipment components over time, and incomplete dispersion may reduce efficacy.[95] Modern variants, such as water-dispersible granules, address some issues like dustiness while retaining WP benefits.[96]
Word Processor (General)
A word processor is computer software designed primarily for creating, editing, formatting, and printing text-based documents, enabling operations such as inserting, deleting, copying, and moving text blocks with greater efficiency than manual typewriting.[102] Unlike simple text editors, word processors typically incorporate advanced features like spell-checking, grammar analysis, templates, and layout tools for elements such as tables, images, and fonts.[103] These capabilities stem from the software's ability to separate content from presentation, allowing real-time previews and revisions without physical retyping.[104]The origins of word processing trace back to hardware innovations in the mid-20th century, evolving from electromechanical typewriters augmented with magnetic tape storage for corrections and revisions, as seen in IBM's Magnetic Tape/Selectric Typewriter (MT/ST) introduced in 1964, which permitted electronic editing on a display screen before printing.[105] This marked a shift from fixed-output typewriters to systems supporting iterative changes, reducing errors and labor in document production for businesses. By the early 1970s, dedicated word processing hardware like Wang Laboratories' systems incorporated video displays and floppy disk storage, with Vydec's 1973 model pioneering floppy-based systems for non-volatile data retention.[106]Software-based word processors emerged with the rise of personal computers in the late 1970s, beginning with programs like Electric Pencil in 1976, an early text editor for microcomputers that laid groundwork for dedicated applications.[107]WordStar, released in 1979 by MicroPro International, became the first commercially successful word processing software for microcomputers, supporting features like on-screen editing and function-key commands on systems such as the CP/M operating environment.[108] Subsequent advancements included WordPerfect in 1980, which dominated professional markets through the 1980s due to its macro support and compatibility with dot-matrix printers, and the transition to graphical user interfaces with what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) editing in applications like Microsoft Word for Macintosh in 1985.[28][109]By the 1990s, word processors integrated multimedia elements, collaborative tools, and cloud storage, with Microsoft Word achieving market dominance after bundling with Windows via Microsoft Office suites starting in 1990, capturing over 80% share by the early 2000s through features like track changes and XML-based file formats.[110] This evolution reflected broader computing trends: from command-line interfaces to visual editing, driven by hardware improvements in processing power and storage, enabling complex formatting without specialized training. Modern iterations, such as Google Docs introduced in 2006, emphasize real-time collaboration and accessibility via web browsers, reducing reliance on local installations.[111] The technology's impact includes democratizing document creation, boosting productivity in offices—studies from the era noted up to 50% time savings in editing—and facilitating the decline of typewriters by the 1980s.[112]