When I get a document with the file extension "doc", I can not open it in
<WordPad>...Do I need another software for that????
To open any file (attachment or otherwise) you need to open it in the
same program that created it, or some compatible program. A .doc file
is a Microsoft Word document. You are correct that you can not open a
..doc file in Wordpad.
If you want to edit .doc files, you will need to buy a copy of Word
(or a compatible program like WordPerfect or OpenOffice). But if all
you want to do is view the file, you can download and install the free
Microsoft Word viewer at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...87-8732-48D5-8689-AB826E7B8FDF&displaylang=en
or
http://tinyurl.com/5ye9c
Over and above the preceding, be aware that opening file attachments
is one of the *most* dangerous things you can do with your computer.
Many attachments can carry viruses or other malware, and if you open
them, you can easily get infected.
You often see advice not to open attachments from people you don't
know. I think that that's one of the most dangerous pieces of advice
you see around, because it implies that it's safe to do the
opposite--open attachments from friends and relatives. But many
viruses spread by sending themselves to everyone in the infected
party's address book, so attachments received from friends are perhaps
the *most* risky to open.
Even if the attachment legitimately comes from a friend, it can
contain a virus. I'm not suggesting that a friend is likely to send
you a virus on purpose, but if the friend is infected without
realizing it, any attachment he sends you is likely to also be
infected.
Personally I never open executable attachments at all, except from a
*very* few trusted sources, and then only when I'm expecting them.