Word Processor - Specifications

Question

Are there any formal specifications that must be adhered to when writing a Word Processor (such as Microsoft Word)? Google has not yet revealed any answers.

Answer 1

There can't be a specification because there isn't any interoperability requirement. You can only set a minimum number of features that a word processor (lower case) must have. By the Wiki definition

A word processor is an electronic device or a computer application software that, as directed by the user, performs word processing: the composition, editing, formatting and sometimes printing of any sort of written material.

I would say that a System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox is more than enough to make a poor's man word processor.

I'll even say that some interactivity is necessary. TeX isn't a word-processor, it's a language to describe formatted documents (in a similar/different way of .doc, .pdf ...)

I'll say that technically a word processor doesn't need to be as you see them today: point-and-click, cursor-enabled, with big buttons to format, with formatting codes invisible: vi (a line based text editor) plus some macros to launch TeX would make a barely minimal word processor by the definition of the Wiki (probably something everyone would hate :-) ).

vi or any other text ( notepad , notepadplusplus ...) alone aren't Word Processors because they can't format the document (or at least they can't format + print as formatted, or format + export as formatted).