Ms technology vocabulary WYSIWYG

Preston Neal

January, 2009

Computer 7-8

WYSIWYG

WYSIWYG {pronounced /wiziwig/} is an acronym for the phrase, “What You See Is What You Get.” This

acronym is used in computing to describe a system that when content is displayed in editing, it is

very similar to the final product, or output. WYSIWYG implies a user interface that allows the user

to see the final output while the document is still being created. WYSIWYG is simply the ability to

directly manipulate the layout of a document without having to know, type, or memorize the layout

commands. The real meaning of WYSIWYG depends on the user’s perspective.

History

During the 1970s and early 1980s, most home computers lacked good graphic capabilities necessary to

display WYSIWYG documents, meaning that those applications were used on very high tech computers,

such as the IBM DisplayWriter, that were too expensive for the general public. Into the mid 1980s,

things began to change. Improving technology allowed the production of cheaper, better computers ,

and WYSIWYG software started to be more common.

Support from OS

All versions of Mac OS since Mac OS X support WYSIWYG type formating . The positioning and spacing of

glyphs (text) on-screen will exactly match printed documents unless a programmer specifically writes

their program to act otherwise.Older Windows programs that supported the Graphics Device Interface,

did not use the idea of WYSIWYG programming, are constrained by whole-pixel text positioning unless

programmers produce custom text rendering codes.

Acronyms

WYSIAYG – What You See Is All You Get

WYSIWYM – What You See Is What You Mean

WYSYHYG – What You See You Hope You Get

WYSIWYS – What You See Is What You Sign

WYSIWYW – What You See Is What You Want

YAFIYGI – You Asked For It You Got It

WYSIWYG Editors

WYSIWYG code generators are fast and are easy to use. Many WYSIWYG editors do not require any

knowledge of the programming languages, making them simpler than the programming software before.

Although these editors are referred to as WYSIWYGs, they aren’t truly the same. They do share the

same idea though.

• Adobe

• ColdFusion

• Dreamweaver

• Altova

• StyleVision

• Amaya

• Aptana

• Create

• Evrsoft 1st Page

• Freeway

• iWeb

• KompoZer

• Media Lab SiteGrinder

• Microsoft

Other Info

The phrase What You See Is What You Get is used highly by Criss Angel in his TV series, MindFreak.

Before the stunt he would attempt, he would tell the live crowd that what you see s what you get.

This has no reference to WYSIWYG programming, but i thought it would be fun to share.

Examples

A basic WYSIWYG program.