Microsoft Word to Works compatibility

[Pinner]

First off Microsoft should make their programs compatible :mad:

Anyhow I can't find a file converter that works right now...this one ( http://www.microsoft.com/products/works/downloads.mspx) seems unavailable right now. Any suggestions ?

[Rathji]

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=bf41401e-70fa-465d-ae2e-cf44dbf05297

[Bill Bumface]

Guys, I can't get my Word Perfect file to open out of an email that I'm reading with Lotus Notes on my OS/2 machine.

[Barnes]

Guys, I can't get my Word Perfect file to open out of an email that I'm reading with Lotus Notes on my OS/2 machine.

You can convert it in Clarisworks. Do you have access to a System 7 Macintosh?

[sclitheroe]

Guys, I can't get my Word Perfect file to open out of an email that I'm reading with Lotus Notes on my OS/2 machine.

I loved OS/2

http://pages.prodigy.net/michaln/history/os221/os221_desk.gif

[Hack&Lube]

Don't bother with Microsoft Works. Start using Oracle's OpenOffice. Handles MS Word and most MS office documents fine.

http://www.openoffice.org/

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Don't bother with Microsoft Works. Start using Oracle's OpenOffice. Handles MS Word and most MS office documents fine.

http://www.openoffice.org/

Exactly.

This or Google Docs.

Or if you have an iPad, Pages is quite good too.

[keratosis]

Does Microsoft even support Works anymore?

[Mazrim]

Does Microsoft even support Works anymore?
Yep. Works 9 is the newest version. Shocking, I know. It's for people who refuse to use Open Office (it's not microsoft!!!!!!! :( ) and don't want spend a couple hundred bucks on Office. (who spends that much on word!!!!!! :( )

[ken0042]

Actually it comes pre-installed on a lot of computers still. And it looks very much like Word 2000; so some people could mistake it for being Word.

Then they run into a compatability issue like above; and they pay for MS Office.

Keep in mind that on average us CPers are nerdier than the average person; and most people don't know about Open Office, nor would they know how to download it safely.

[fredr123]

http://www.libreoffice.org/

Use Libre Office instead of OOo.

On 28 September 2010, several members of the OpenOffice.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenOffice.org) project formed a new group called "The Document Foundation" and made available a rebranded fork of OpenOffice.org, which they dubbed LibreOffice. The fork was created over fears that Oracle Corporation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_Corporation), after having recently purchased the suite's creator and main developer, Sun Microsystems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Microsystems), would either discontinue OpenOffice.org as it had done with OpenSolaris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenSolaris), or more likely take a generally authoritarian and less "open" approach in its development.
It was originally hoped that the LibreOffice name would be provisional, as Oracle was invited to become a member of The Document Foundation, and was asked to donate the OpenOffice.org brand to the project.[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#cite_note-6) Oracle rejected the project and demanded that all members of the OpenOffice.org Community Council involved with The Document Foundation step down from the Council, citing a conflict of interest.[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#cite_note-ArsTechnica1010-7)
The Go-oo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go-oo) project was discontinued in favour of LibreOffice.[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#cite_note-8) Improvements made by the project are being merged into LibreOffice. Improvements made in other forks are expected to be incorporated into LibreOffice as well.[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#cite_note-9)[11] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#cite_note-10)
As a result of the fork of OpenOffice.org into LibreOffice, and the resulting loss of developers, Oracle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle) announced in April 2011 that it was terminating the commercial development of OpenOffice.[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#cite_note-ARS18Apr11-11)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#LibreOffice_compared_to_OpenOffice.org

[Mazrim]

Keep in mind that on average us CPers are nerdier than the average person; and most people don't know about Open Office, nor would they know how to download it safely.
I have no idea if most people just click through installations quickly or not, but I believe it was firefox or java updates or something that was nagging to try Open Office during installation. So I'd like to think some people notice it.

[Bobblehead]

http://www.libreoffice.org/

Use Libre Office instead of OOo.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#LibreOffice_compared_to_OpenOffice.org
Don't be too hasty. Oracle admitted they lost the battle, and released Open Office back to open source.
Now that OpenOffice has been handed back to the community, question will inevitably emerge over whether it and LibreOffice will continue as separate projects, or whether they'll be merged together, presumably under the OpenOffice banner.http://www.betanews.com/article/Oracle-hands-OpenOffice-to-opensource-community-gives-up-commercial-sales/1303142878

[llama64]

Yep. Works 9 is the newest version. Shocking, I know. It's for people who refuse to use Open Office (it's not microsoft!!!!!!! :( ) and don't want spend a couple hundred bucks on Office. (who spends that much on word!!!!!! :( )

I used to think this way...

But seriously, what is $200 for Office? If you're going to use it on a daily basis and need Word compatibility, just pony up the cash - it will pay for itself in frustration saved.

I pity anyone who buys Works standalone. It may be cheaper up front, but you will pay 10x more (perhaps not in cash though).

If you're really chintzy, just use Google Docs. Personally I would stay away from OpenOffice... it's a bloated mass of awfulness that makes MS Office look like a super model.

[Rathji]

I used to think this way...

But seriously, what is $200 for Office? If you're going to use it on a daily basis and need Word compatibility, just pony up the cash - it will pay for itself in frustration saved.

I pity anyone who buys Works standalone. It may be cheaper up front, but you will pay 10x more (perhaps not in cash though).

If you're really chintzy, just use Google Docs. Personally I would stay away from OpenOffice... it's a bloated mass of awfulness that makes MS Office look like a super model.

$200 compared to free is a lot. Upwards of $600 for Pro is way more if you need some of those programs (most people dont).

If you are using it for your job, then yeah, but otherwise it doesnt make sense for most people, because they use it to type up something once a month, if that.

[Jimmy Stang]

I use LibreOffice (moved over from OpenOffice during the Oracle debacle and haven't looked back) at home and for my small business and it works just fine for everyday use. I personally prefer having my documents saved in an open format and not one owned by a single entity. Microsoft's .docx format (or was it a forced upgrade plan?) was/is a standards pain in the ass.

[Jimmy Stang]

Don't be too hasty. Oracle admitted they lost the battle, and released Open Office back to open source.

From what I've read though, LibreOffice and most of the developers that gave up on it while it was under Oracle's "care" are moving ahead with their own fork (not merging it back), and OpenOffice may simply die of neglect. Either way, it isn't like switching between them is any trouble as they both use the same file formats.

[Bobblehead]

From what I've read though, LibreOffice and most of the developers that gave up on it while it was under Oracle's "care" are moving ahead with their own fork (not merging it back), and OpenOffice may simply die of neglect. Either way, it isn't like switching between them is any trouble as they both use the same file formats.Yeah, that is sort of the unknown right now - do they merge them or abandon one of the forks.

OpenOffice already has a lot more mindshare than LibreOffice. It wouldn't surprise me to so LibreOffice rebranded to OpenOffice in order to capitalize on the goodwill that already exists. They haven't been forked for so long that they are radically different yet, I don't think.

[Jimmy Stang]

Yeah, that is sort of the unknown right now - do they merge them or abandon one of the forks.

OpenOffice already has a lot more mindshare than LibreOffice. It wouldn't surprise me to so LibreOffice rebranded to OpenOffice in order to capitalize on the goodwill that already exists. They haven't been forked for so long that they are radically different yet, I don't think.

^ Very true. I actually prefer the OpenOffice name/brand as well.

[Barnes]

I use LibreOffice (moved over from OpenOffice during the Oracle debacle and haven't looked back) at home and for my small business and it works just fine for everyday use. I personally prefer having my documents saved in an open format and not one owned by a single entity. Microsoft's .docx format (or was it a forced upgrade plan?) was/is a standards pain in the ass.

The XML based Office formats are all open and standard hence the name Office Open XML format. It has been accepted in places were proprietary file formats are forbidden.

You can change the extension to .zip, unarchive and open all of the XML files and read the content.

[llama64]

$200 compared to free is a lot. Upwards of $600 for Pro is way more if you need some of those programs (most people dont).

If you are using it for your job, then yeah, but otherwise it doesnt make sense for most people, because they use it to type up something once a month, if that.

That's kinda what I'm getting at. If you're willing to shell out for this, just buy Office.

If you're not willing to shell out, use a free product. Don't go half way and buy crappy software (unless you have a Mac, iWork is ok-ish).

Don't buy Works and then complain it doesn't do everything Word does.

[Rathji]

That's kinda what I'm getting at. If you're willing to shell out for this, just buy Office.

If you're not willing to shell out, use a free product. Don't go half way and buy crappy software (unless you have a Mac, iWork is ok-ish).

Don't buy Works and then complain it doesn't do everything Word does.

Hold on, there are people who spend money on Works?

Ouch.