MS Word - what a mickey mouse pile of sh!t.

[TF]

Cindy

I take your word for it: XP is history now!

Terry

:> Normal style is not set to Automatically update by default.
: >
: Actually, Terry, it is in Word 2002 (XP). Drove me (and
: everyone else) absolutely nutty until we figured it out. It
: was THE FAQ when the version hit the markets.
:
: -- Cindy
:

 

[Amedee Van Gasse]

Cindy M -WordMVP- shared this with us in
microsoft.public.word.newusers:

Hi Amedee,

Along with being able to exchange files with other people
(see my reply to Gordon).

ObRant: I don't see a problem there. I can exchange files with other
people, even though I don't have any Microsoft product on my home pc at
all.

 

[Amedee Van Gasse]

Cindy M -WordMVP- shared this with us in
microsoft.public.word.newusers:

Hi Gordon,

No, but Outlook 2003 still supports the older file format, so that
you can bring *.pst files forwards (and continue to use them with
older versions, or convert them).

File format compatibility has always been a big discussion, for any
software (not just MS). I remember the uproar when Word changed file
formats, going from 6.0 to 97. (There was also a change from 2.0 to
6.0, but somehow, that didn't throw as many waves; maybe because 6.0
was so clearly an improvement.)

Or maybe because there were less computer users then than there are now.

The thing is, if a program is going
to develop, and be able to do new things, sometimes internal
structures MUST change. I've heard discussions among MS people
about: should/can we go forward, will it break backwards
compatibility, and is it worth it.

What Microsoft lacks, is communication.
If they communicated every file format combatability as they
communicated the change for example from VB6 to VB.NET, this world
would be a very happy place.

I suppose we react more strongly / are more sensitized to this with
Office-type products because that's where we're most likely to
exchange files with other people.
ACK

Used to be, the biggest concern was whether "the other guy" could open
my WP/AmiPro/Word/QuattroPro/1-2-3/Excel file. Now it's more a
version, rather than a product question.

Honestly, what's the difference? Versions or products, if files are
combatable you are stuck.

And BTW, when discussing MS vs. other products, this is another
reason why big companies choose MS: highest chances for compatibility
when exchanging files.

The current semi-monopoly on office apps is less than 10 or even 5
years old. Before that, WordPerfect ruled the Wor(l)d, and who
remembers the period before WP? (I do) I cannot open the letters I
wrote in the early eighties with Word 2003.
Nobody knows what the most used office app will be in 10 years from
now. It's not the backwards combatability or exchanging with others
that will be the problem, but if future office apps will be able to
open the letters I write today. I'm not only talking about technical
problems, but also about legal problems. (licenses/patents)

Let's start a flame war about software patents, shall we? This IS
relevant, because there are quite a few in MS Office.

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Amedee,

Or maybe because there were less computer users then than there are now.

What Microsoft lacks, is communication.
If they communicated every file format combatability as they
communicated the change for example from VB6 to VB.NET, this world
would be a very happy place.

You're right about the communication, no question. (Whether that
would make the world a happier place is still open for debate.)

Honestly, what's the difference? Versions or products, if files are
combatable you are stuck.

Only difference is what we're primarily concerned about / complain
about. As you say, this changes as time goes on. (FWIW, I was a
died-in-the-wool WP person before 1992. And I, too, recall the
program I was using prior to that, but without any nostalgia

but if future office apps will be able to
open the letters I write today.

I seem to recall even the U.S. government running into this
problem. And people ask why we still haven't reached the "paperless
office" point? Even if one would back up the text content as plain
text files, who can ensure that the *medium* can still be read 10
years down the line...

Let's start a flame war about software patents, shall we? This IS
relevant, because there are quite a few in MS Office.

I don't like flamewars But a good discussion is always fun.
Although software patents aren't something I know very much about
(gene-patenting is a pet peeve of mine, however).

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8
2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow
question or reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Amedee,

ObRant: I don't see a problem there. I can exchange files with other
people, even though I don't have any Microsoft product on my home pc at
all.

Ah, well. I remember working for a large corporation that received docs
and spreadsheets in so many different file formats. And it was always a
fight about being able to open AND print them, and still have them the
way the originals looked. We wasted more time on that... If everyone has
the same, the amount of time/work/money involved is reduced considerably.

Not that I'm saying Word is really good at passing along something that
will look exactly the same on the recipient's machine/printer. NOT!!! But
that's the theory behind many of the decisions.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Amedee Van Gasse]

Cindy M -WordMVP- shared this with us in
microsoft.public.word.newusers:

I don't like flamewars But a good discussion is always fun.
Although software patents aren't something I know very much about
(gene-patenting is a pet peeve of mine, however).

Of course no flame war ;-)
If you are against gene-patenting, you will probably understand my
point of view on software patenting. The arguments in both discussions
are very similar.

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

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Hi Suzanne,

I'm curious as to why I didn't experience it, then. I bought a new computer
with Office XP installed.

Could be that an later SP is part of that installation? I wouldn't be
surprised if MS changed that default setting in an SP, somewhere down the
line... I don't KNOW this is the case, but they have to have become as tired
of the support questions as we did.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I don't think an SP is involved because when I bought my computer Office XP
was brand-new--so new that Dell was still offering a choice of Office 2000
or XP (and I selected 2000 but got XP anyway, which I was annoyed about
initially but later grateful for).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Tom Ferguson]

Would you please let us know the details of how you are trying to open the
files in Word Perfect and how you save them in Word.

Word will save to Word Perfect 5 for Windows format. Word Perfect will
open Word files. There is something wrong with what you are doing or with
your particular configuration.

We can't help unless we have details.

Consider posting this to the conversion news group.

NEWS://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.word.conversions

Corel's news groups about Word Perfect are available through their web
site
http://www.corel.com

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satell...n/Display&sid=1047024315119&gid=1047024361372

and by NNTP.
NEWS://cnews.corel.com/corel.WordPerfect12
is for, wait for it, Word Perfect 12.

Microsoft contact information is here.
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=mscom


Tom
MSMVP
Windows Shell/User


: Unfortunately Microsoft has made it impossible to ignore it and use
something
: else. I lived in Ireland for a year, where nothing BUT the ubiquitous
: microsoft word was available on office computers. Although I save all my
: documents in rtf, upon my return I discovered I CAN'T convert them back
to
: wordperfect. THEY MUST BE OPENED IN WORD. And now Microsoft has made it
: impossible to complain to anyone who can do anything about it. They set
up
: some discussion group to allow us to vent our spleen, but never
accomplish
: anything substantive. They don't provide a single way for me to ask a
simple
: question about how I can convert my documents back to WP, thus forcing
me to
: use their substandard product. It should be illegal.
:
: "TF" wrote:
:
: > Hear! Hear! PLONK.
: >
: > --
: > Terry Farrell - Word MVP
: > http://word.mvps.org/
: >
: > : > : David shared this with us in microsoft.public.word.newusers:
: > :
: > : > I have never come across such an ill thought out, unintuitive or
: > : > illogical piece of software.
: > :
: > : Fortunately you have every right in the world to ignore it and use
: > : something else.
: > : Likewise people here have every right in the world to ignore *you*
and
: > : read something else.
: > :
: > : G'day!
: > :
: > : *plonk*
: > :
: > : --
: > : Amedee Van Gasse using XanaNews 1.17.1.2
: > : If it has an "X" in the name, it must be Linux?
: > : Please don't thank me in advance. Thank me afterwards if it works or
: > : hit me in the face if it doesn't. ;-)
: >
: >
: >