.doc v. .docx

I submit pieces involving text and geometrical diagrams and photographs to different journal editors. They must be free to edit the pieces, therefore a .pdf (alone) is not a suitable file type to send. I use a MacBook Pro, O.S.10.7.4. Am I right in thinking I have two choices:
1. to use iWorks' Pages and then export the document as a .doc,
2. to use Word version 14.2.2 (Word for Mac 2011), which produces a .docx, as opposed to a .doc, file?
If so, which should I use?

Thank you.

Paul Stephenson

You can save as a doc or docx in Word.

If it's imperative that the documents look the same across machines (it sounds like you're submitting drafts for a journal article so I imagine that this is the case), you might want to consider Word since you'll have a much lower risk of developing headaches. That's not to say that Pages isn't capable but it's possible that somethings might get "lost in translation."

Thank you for that, Vansmith. A mishap of the type you mention has indeed occurred.

Paul Stephenson

I'd add that if you're supplying someone else with materials that they will continue to work on, matching your tools with theirs will ensure the smoothest exchange of information

Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac is one of the best deals out there if you compare the cost to the Windows version.

Yes, the latest versions of the MS Office Suite on both sides create the DOCX. If you do work like I do, and work with people in the Windows Office world, "compatible" just doesn't cut it.

And go into Word > Preferences > Save > and select the format you wish to have work saved in. .docx is the standard however you can select .doc.

Yes, the latest versions of the MS Office Suite on both sides create the DOCX. If you do work like I do, and work with people in the Windows Office world, "compatible" just doesn't cut it.

Click to expand...

+1 to what member Deckyon stated above. While other office suites or programs might have the capability to create DOC or DOCX documents, MS Office in the business, educational, and legal world is the de facto standard.

Thank you very much mrplow, Deckyon, harryb2448, chscag.
There seems to be agreement on what I should do.

Paul Stephenson