Will people be able to open my files: 2008?

[kevs]

If I get Office 2008, and create new excel and word files, and e mail them
around, will I have issues with people telling me they can't open the files?
Thanks.


Kevs






OS 10.4.11
Office 2004

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Depends. Office 2008 uses a new default file format, .docx, which is the
same format used by Word 2007. Mac users require a stand-alone beta
converter or a different program to open .docx files. WinWord 2003 can
have a converter installed. Not sure about earlier versions.

To be safe, you can change the default file format to use .doc if you
want, for a while.

Ditto for Excel, only .xlsx and .xls, and there is no Mac converter for
Excel (but I think Numbers and NeoOffice can handle them).

 

[John McGhie]

Yes.

But it will be due to errors in the computer at their end, not yours

The trick is DON'T TELL THEM IT CAME FROM A MAC!!

If you tell them, they will do "something different" and get problems. If
you don't tell them, it will just work

Make sure you add the extension to the file name: that is a "last resort"
for the operating system at the other end, that usually enables the computer
at the other end to figure out what to do, no matter how badly configured it
is.

And don't send .docx files to people for about a year, unless they send them
to you. Many people have not applied the updates needed to handle .docx
files yet. Until they do, send the old format unless you know they can
handle them.

Cheers

If I get Office 2008, and create new excel and word files, and e mail them
around, will I have issues with people telling me they can't open the files?
Thanks.


Kevs






OS 10.4.11
Office 2004

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John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[kevs]

Depends. Office 2008 uses a new default file format, .docx, which is the
same format used by Word 2007. Mac users require a stand-alone beta
converter or a different program to open .docx files. WinWord 2003 can
have a converter installed. Not sure about earlier versions.

To be safe, you can change the default file format to use .doc if you
want, for a while.

Ditto for Excel, only .xlsx and .xls, and there is no Mac converter for
Excel (but I think Numbers and NeoOffice can handle them).

That was awfully hard to follow Daiya.

John, that was a little better. I think you are saying if I got 2008, just
make sure the extension is there and everyone will open them.

Why is Microsoft doing this?



OS 10.4.11
Office 2004