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New MS Office Files Are
Incompatible with
Existing MS Office Applications
You thought you could avoid migrating
to Microsoft Windows Vista until it stabilizes and you upgrade your
hardware to run it? Well, almost.
It turns out Microsoft has thrown you a
curve ball you probably can't avoid. Anyone (inside or outside
your company) who orders a new computer with the Windows Vista
operating system may have also ordered MS Office 2007. That's
where the problem starts.
MS Office 2007 saves files (apparently
by default) in an XML format. For example, MS Word files are
saved as "filename.docx" Excel and
PowerPoint files are saved similarly. So what happens when you,
as a recipient of a file attached to an email, try to open these
files? Nothing -- your prior version of MS Office is
incapable of reading these files.
As more and more users adopt Windows
Vista and MS Office 2007, the problem will steadily surface more
often. You can expect to receive these XML-formatted files from
customers, suppliers, job applicants, etc.
Yes, there is a solution, and one you
have to implement for yourself. Microsoft has made available a
"Compatibility Pack" that will allow users of MS Office 2000
and MS Office 2003 to open & edit these MS Office 2007
files. You can review the update and download processes
necessary to implement this Compatibility Pack at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923505/en-us
Actually, once installed, the Compatibility Pack makes the versions of
MS Office somewhat transparent -- 2007 files open
automatically.
By installing this Compatibility Pack
throughout your organization, you'll be ready for the steadily
increasing numbers of MS Office 2007 files that you'll receive from
the outside, and also be ready to manage the migration of your own
users from prior MS Office versions to MS Office 2007.
Happy downloading.
As always, this is an Alert based on
the experience of a single member. Your situation is unique, and
you should rely on your own trusted IT Services advisors in making any
decisions relating to these comments.
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