Microsoft Word 2007

[thatboyChase]

It seems like alot of people have it and I have an ancient version. I think it is time to convert over to help beta readers and editors rather than sending notepads. Anybody know of a location where I don't have to go through the mire of crap that is on the Microsoft site? I have to download office then when I do it won't fully download and all this office stuff.

 

Anybody have any suggestions? Please and thank you.

[Graeme]

I didn't think you could download a legal copy -- you have to buy one.

 

I've just upgraded to OpenOffice 3.1.0 and that's what I use for communicating with my beta-readers and editors, AND also for doing beta reading when required. As long as I don't get .docx files, I can read word files. I had a problem with embedded textured backgrounds when I was using version 2, but I haven't checked that with version 3, yet.

 

Not everyone likes OpenOffice, so if you really want to get MS Office 2007, I think you'll need to go out and buy one. Sorry.

[thatboyChase]

Well, for instance David M is doing some work for me and sends me Docx stuff and I cannot open them. That is MS Word right? I figured I could do the trial, but is there a Word only trial?

[MikeL]

I use the old MS Word 2002 and find it reliable. My wife uses the Open Office word processor and has no problem reading and revising Word documents. I would certainly try Open Office for free before I would give Microsoft any of my hard earned money.

[CarlHoliday]

I have 2007 (bought it at Best Buy when I bought the new laptop), but I still save all my files as Word 97-2003 documents to ensure Word doesn't clog up the works with a bunch of irrelevant code. It's those .docx files that mess it up. When sending files to my editor I just hit F12 to bring up the Save As menu and select Word 97-2003.

[Mark Arbour]

I didn't think you could download a legal copy -- you have to buy one.

 

I've just upgraded to OpenOffice 3.1.0 and that's what I use for communicating with my beta-readers and editors, AND also for doing beta reading when required. As long as I don't get .docx files, I can read word files. I had a problem with embedded textured backgrounds when I was using version 2, but I haven't checked that with version 3, yet.

 

Not everyone likes OpenOffice, so if you really want to get MS Office 2007, I think you'll need to go out and buy one. Sorry.

 

I use Open Office too..and love it. Plus it's free.

[thatboyChase]

Carl, when I do that I can't even find that Word thing, do you know of a specific extension to search for it? Or is that an internal issue I need to deal with.

 

Should I just snag open office?

[shadowgod]

microsoft offers a plug in to allow older versions of office to read / edit docx files

 

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en

[thatboyChase]

Shadowgod got it, thanks. And thanks to the rest of you.

[Rilbur]

Open Office can read, but not save in, docx format. It won't associate itself with the format, however, so you have to manually open the file every time (annoying, yes!)

[hh5]

Google Docs

 

gives access to writing like in word and its available as long as you have internet connection and its free and universal.

 

just like gmail etc etc

[Jay]

You could also try Open Office. It's free and you can get it at openoffice.org.

[colinian]

I have 2007 (bought it at Best Buy when I bought the new laptop), but I still save all my files as Word 97-2003 documents to ensure Word doesn't clog up the works with a bunch of irrelevant code. It's those .docx files that mess it up. When sending files to my editor I just hit F12 to bring up the Save As menu and select Word 97-2003.

 

Actually, the new Word docx format eliminates all of the irrelevant code that's been hidden in .doc files. It's easy to see that's the case by looking at the size of a file I received to edit, a 123 page draft of a novel. It came as .doc format; I opened and saved it as .docx. The original .doc file is 189 KB. The .docx file is 78 KB. The .docx file is 41% as large as the .doc file. An impressive size reduction, IMO.

 

Colin

[Hoskins]

 

I hate Word but use it anyway.

 

It's like eating at Subway. Mediocrity is the default state of affairs.