OK, so the first question a new user may have is:

Why do I need to use a frames based word processor, when I am perfectly happy writing my letters on my current (page layout) word processor?

Well the good news is, adjusting to a frames based word processor is easy and once a template is selected, KWord can act just like a page layout word processor. There are templates available for simple correspondence and day to day use.

When a more complex document (newsletters, posters, etc.) needs to be created, you will not need to switch to a different application to generate these special documents. There are templates in KWord which will help generate newsletters or other more complicated documents.

What are templates and what can they do for the user?

A template can be thought of as an initial mold for a document.

When a user sits down to write a document, they already have an idea of what the final product will look like. If they are writing a letter to a business, a document with only one column, which goes all the way across the page, and from top to bottom of the page is appropriate. When a user sits down to author a newsletter for a local organization, however, they may want a large title across the top, and several columns for quick news articles.

With KWord, this predetermined notion of how the document should look is used to select a template. By using a template, a set of frames is created to approximate this final layout. For a business letter, a document with one large frame that covers the page from top to bottom and side to side would be selected. For a newsletter, however, a two or three column document is more appropriate. Once this template is selected, KWord will create the frames automatically.

What if the user decides to change the layout after a template is selected?

This is not a problem. If a document begins as a single column document and it is decided later that two columns is better, another column can be added. The purpose of templates is not to limit the ability to change the layout of a document, but rather to take some of the work load off the user whenever possible. Choosing the correct template when beginning a document will simplify the formatting (as opposed to always selecting the default template and making changes later). Choosing the wrong template will not limit the flexibility of the document later on.

The next section, consists of one more important topic which you should understand before we begin using KWord.