just need to be able to open word files that are emailed to me!!!!!

Kyle-wdp · Jan 19, 2008

Will Iwork 08 do this? I have it installed but it doesn't seem to open word docs. Am I going to have to buy Office 08 for mac? If so will the student version be adequate?

Kuwisdelu · Jan 19, 2008

Don't get MS Office.

Download NeoOffice.

http://www.neooffice.org/neojava/en/index.php

Open-source alternative to MS Office. It'll open Word documents and you can save as them, too. It also has its own versions of PowerPoint and Excel. And best of all, it's free.

The Vindicat3d · Jan 19, 2008

iWork Opens word documents...so i don't know whats going on...

Kash · Jan 19, 2008

The build in Text Edit is also able to open Word documents

Lifeisabeach · Jan 19, 2008

What exact format are they? Is the extension .doc or .docx?

snoslicer8 · Jan 19, 2008

Why not save the e-mailed attachment to your desktop, click on it, and hit spacebar...opens it right up in QuickLook so you don't even need to open a program. If all you need to do is read these docs (no editing required), this is all you need.

iLindzo · Jan 19, 2008

If you have MS Office on your computer, you should be able to open the file. I would say, try saving the file to your desktop and then right-clicking on it. Go to the 'Open With..' section and select MS Word.

That is... if you want to use MS Office. If not... I believe you can do the same thing with other applications. You can even set it up to be your default for all files of that type.

Neo · Jan 20, 2008

lifeisabeach has asked an important question!

The latest and greatest :Smirk:

Office version has a new file format (.docx) that even previous versions of Word can't open. Unbelievable? Perhaps.

If you are trying to open .docx files, I'm sorry. NeoOffice will be able to open them in the future, but for now Office 07 and Office Mac 08 users should Save As... .doc files to be able to communicate with the rest of us.

Kuwisdelu · Jan 20, 2008

Neo said:
lifeisabeach has asked an important question!

The latest and greatest Office version has a new file format (.docx) that even previous versions of Word can't open. Unbelievable? Perhaps.

If you are trying to open .docx files, I'm sorry. NeoOffice will be able to open them in the future, but for now Office 07 and Office Mac 08 users should Save As... .doc files to be able to communicate with the rest of us.

Uhh..

Actually, NeoOffice can already open .docx files. OpenOffice.org and NeoOffice were compatible with the Office 2007/8 formats even before the update came out for Office 2003/4 to be compatible with them.

riscy · Jan 20, 2008

Actually I had some docx files and could not open them on a Windoze machine (XP SP2), but Textedit opened them with no probs - go figure!! That's Micros**t for you!

I would also recommend Neo Office - it is very cool, and free

Neo said:
lifeisabeach has asked an important question!

The latest and greatest Office version has a new file format (.docx) that even previous versions of Word can't open. Unbelievable? Perhaps.

If you are trying to open .docx files, I'm sorry. NeoOffice will be able to open them in the future, but for now Office 07 and Office Mac 08 users should Save As... .doc files to be able to communicate with the rest of us.

Neo · Jan 20, 2008

Kuwisdelu said:
Uhh..

Actually, NeoOffice can already open .docx files. OpenOffice.org and NeoOffice were compatible with the Office 2007/8 formats even before the update came out for Office 2003/4 to be compatible with them.

and

!
Well, that didn't take long for NeoOffice...the future is here!

But Office 2003/4 are compatible by update? That is very surprising. I haven't heard about this. I was just at the Office site today and there wasn't any crowing about any updates. Probably don't want to dampen sales of 07/08. In fact, all the talk at work is, "Waa! We can't all open .docx files! We all need 07 on our computers!" Won't I be the hero? Is it a patch available from Microsoft's website, or only from within Word/Windows Update?

Kuwisdelu · Jan 20, 2008

Neo said:
and !
Well, that didn't take long for NeoOffice...the future is here!

But Office 2003/4 are compatible by update? That is very surprising. I haven't heard about this. I was just at the Office site today and there wasn't any crowing about any updates. Probably don't want to dampen sales of 07/08. In fact, all the talk at work is, "Waa! We can't all open .docx files! We all need 07 on our computers!" Won't I be the hero? Is it a patch available from Microsoft's website, or only from within Word/Windows Update?

From what I hear, it's pretty hard to find even on Microsoft's site. I'd assume you're right and they buried it so they can keep selling sales of '07/'08. You can download it here though:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101686761033.aspx

dtravis7 · Jan 20, 2008

I have had no issues here opening any Word .doc or Excel .xls file in iWork 08. I have never tried a .docx as I don't use that format. Will find one and see if it will open in iWork. As another user suggested, tell us more about the files you are trying to open.

I found some example .docx files on the net and downloaded them. They open fine in OSX's Textedit. Pages (iWork 08) would not open them.

Neo · Jan 20, 2008

Kuwisdelu said:
From what I hear, it's pretty hard to find even on Microsoft's site. I'd assume you're right and they buried it so they can keep selling sales of '07/'08. You can download it here though:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101686761033.aspx

That link is for upgrading Office 2003 (Windows). Still, all the schmucks at work that use Windows will be happy about that. Thanks!

Kuwisdelu · Jan 20, 2008

Neo said:
That link is for upgrading Office 2003 (Windows). Still, all the schmucks at work that use Windows will be happy about that. Thanks!

No problem. As far as I know, I don't think Microsoft released an update for Mac's Office. They have a converter, though:

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx

NPuter · Jan 21, 2008

Kuwisdelu said:
No problem. As far as I know, I don't think Microsoft released an update for Mac's Office. They have a converter, though:

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx

actually, they released office 2008 for mac...
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP...ode=home/mac/campaigns/ms_office_2008_landing

Kuwisdelu · Jan 21, 2008

NPuter said:
actually, they released office 2008 for mac...
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP...ode=home/mac/campaigns/ms_office_2008_landing

Yes, we know that; we were talking about updates to the old 2003/4 Office to make it compatible with the 2007/8 formats without actually having to upgrade to the new version of Office.

NPuter · Jan 21, 2008

Kuwisdelu said:
Yes, we know that; we were talking about updates to the old 2003/4 Office to make it compatible with the 2007/8 formats without actually having to upgrade to the new version of Office.

sorry, did not completely understand the post that I was replying to...