Stupid Computer Question

[Amaris]

Doesn't MS Office 2007 save in a default format that can't be read other than other computers with MS Office 2007 or a converter on it?

I read that educational institutions are kinda irked at that as it has presented problems for professors and students sending files back and forth.

Since I plan to use this for my graduate studies mostly, I don't want to piss off a professor because he/she can't read my homework! I have other ways I plan to piss them off!

I've never had a problem reading 2007 docs with Open Office. Plus, Open Office saves in multiple formats that can be read by any Office program.


J.

 

[Marc]

Doesn't MS Office 2007 save in a default format that can't be read other than other computers with MS Office 2007 or a converter on it?

Microsoft did change the file formats with 2007 but released an import/export add-on for Office 2003 and XP (2000 and you're SOL).

Generally compatability has been okay but I've seen some strange instances such as opening a Word 2007 doc in 2003 spawning 32 instances.

But it's also come in handy when a 2003 document wouldn't open in the relevant Word version but was able to open and re-save in 2007.

it did cause some headaches with a client who working on a thesis for his PhD - he had Word 2007 and his secretary 2003.

I read that educational institutions are kinda irked at that as it has presented problems for professors and students sending files back and forth.

Not just in academia but in the business world as well. It's pretty easy to change the default format - or even set it as save time but most people probably aren't aware of it.

but Microsoft have handled it better than last time. Office 2007 can save to older formats right of the box and there's the import/export utlity. When Office 97 came out, Microsoft changed the format that had come through from the first versions of Word, Excel etc. It caused a big stink because Word 97 for example didn't have the ability to save to older Word formats out of the box. That came in a patch later and even then was a kluge. The file still had a .doc extenions but it was acutally an RTF file.

I can't remember if there was tool to read 97 format docs into Word 95.

Since I plan to use this for my graduate studies mostly, I don't want to piss off a professor because he/she can't read my homework! I have other ways I plan to piss them off!

Not an issue.
a) choose Word 97 - 2003 as the file format when you save the document the first time (or do a save as when you're finished and save to a new format).
b) set Word to use the above format as the default for ALL DOCUMENTS.

 

[Marc]

Doesn't MS Office 2007 save in a default format that can't be read other than other computers with MS Office 2007 or a converter on it?

I read that educational institutions are kinda irked at that as it has presented problems for professors and students sending files back and forth.

Since I plan to use this for my graduate studies mostly, I don't want to piss off a professor because he/she can't read my homework! I have other ways I plan to piss them off!

I've never had a problem reading 2007 docs with Open Office. Plus, Open Office saves in multiple formats that can be read by any Office program.


J.

There was cause for cheer when Microsoft announced the ODF support would included with Service Pack 2 for Office 2007.

Unfortunately it turned out to a pretty pathetic effort on Microsoft's behalf.

 

[Amaris]

Doesn't MS Office 2007 save in a default format that can't be read other than other computers with MS Office 2007 or a converter on it?

I read that educational institutions are kinda irked at that as it has presented problems for professors and students sending files back and forth.

Since I plan to use this for my graduate studies mostly, I don't want to piss off a professor because he/she can't read my homework! I have other ways I plan to piss them off!

I've never had a problem reading 2007 docs with Open Office. Plus, Open Office saves in multiple formats that can be read by any Office program.


J.

There was cause for cheer when Microsoft announced the ODF support would included with Service Pack 2 for Office 2007.

Unfortunately it turned out to a pretty pathetic effort on Microsoft's behalf.

I just think they play fast and loose to keep people buying new versions.


J.

 

[Broccoli]

I've never had a problem reading 2007 docs with Open Office. Plus, Open Office saves in multiple formats that can be read by any Office program.


J.

There was cause for cheer when Microsoft announced the ODF support would included with Service Pack 2 for Office 2007.

Unfortunately it turned out to a pretty pathetic effort on Microsoft's behalf.

I just think they play fast and loose to keep people buying new versions.


J.

Well...Duh!

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I had not expected to receive so much.

 

[Amaris]

There was cause for cheer when Microsoft announced the ODF support would included with Service Pack 2 for Office 2007.

Unfortunately it turned out to a pretty pathetic effort on Microsoft's behalf.

I just think they play fast and loose to keep people buying new versions.


J.

Well...Duh!

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I had not expected to receive so much.

I was just bringing a bit of observational humor to the mix.

J.

 

[Australis]

My 2c worth.

I'ee used Office for years. Really like 2003, strong, stable, does everything I want.

Tried 2007 at work. The new strapbar and menu system was a step too far. Simply couldn't get a handle on it.

Some years ago I tried OpenOffice, v2 or 3 I think. It never ran properly, and I ended up uninstalling it. I have heard good things since, but the early experience put me off.

Word07 uses .docx format, which Word03 can't read. However, there are file conversion kits available from MS that seem to do the job

Bottom line, if you can get a good 03, go with it. An OEM disk, especially if you don't have a Dell, sounds like problems. 03 is a straight line from 00, 07 is a different beast.

But all that might just be me. Do what works for you.

 

[Amaris]

^ I agree. Although I do want to say give OpenOffice 3 a try. It's good!
Though if you go MS, 2003 is the best.


J.

 

[Deks]

I've been using Office 2007 for some time now.
I personally like the new UI as it's cleaner, and the overall program by itself is stable and solid for me.
Had no issues with it on Windows XP, Vista or Win 7.

But yeah ... I WOULD also recommend you should give Open Office a try if you cannot afford MS Office itself.
It's a great replacement program and does everything you need.
:-)

 

[Freman]

I swear by Open Office. Better then MS Office any day. Never had a problem with it.

 

[Australis]

Hmm, you guys have me thinking I should try OO again, thought my last experience was pretty horrible, inpart because it was some half-free, half-pay option incvluded on a CD with a bunch of other software, it was just a dog from first install.

However, that was then, and this is now. Maybe over next weekend.

 

[Amaris]

It really has improved and made great strides.


J.

 

[GalaxyX]

I love OpenOffice for the Word Processor. The Spreadsheet program is a bit confusing at first, but I've been forced to learn it the MS Way to do things (as an IT guy I keep having to help people at our company to get around the stupid quirks some of this software has)

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

Microsoft Office 2007 is, from a usability and interface perspective, a giant leap forward from earlier versions. It doesn't really do anything new, but it's a lot easier to do a lot more things. It's, for example, a lot easier to make your documents look pretty; to make them inviting to read. It's also a heck of a lot faster then earlier versions. Word 2003 starts up in 12 seconds over here, Word 2007 does it in under one.

Needing it depends on what you do with it.

If you're completely comfortable the way you are, and don't want to explore any new tricks, it's probably all right to stay with 2003. OpenOffice is only an option if you don't regularly open .doc files from somebody with the real Microsoft Office, and you don't mind your office suite being very slow.