OT: Massachusetts Verdict: MS Office Formats Out

[Tim]

Tim wrote:

>> Usually, the warnings about things like how some document
>> formats mightn't support some styling effects, might not do tabs or
>> margins in the same way, etc.
 

Guy Fraser:

> Precisely why a standard format was needed.

Oh, I agree.  One of the things I liked about the concept of HTML was a
document that could be read on nearly anything.  Of course we all know
who buggered that up.  Mostly one organisation, though their main
competitor was just about as bad.

My personal computer background was pre-Windows.  I remember the
plethora of different personal computers, with almost no possibility of
data interchange between them.  At first, Windows seemed hopeful, but
they just never got the idea of what "compatible" meant (not even within
themselves).

I still have word processor documents stored in about 6 or 7 unreadable
formats on various discs.  About my only chance of conversion, with
layout, is scanning and OCR.  If I just wanted content, and didn't mind
re-laying out the content, I could save as plain text.  It really is a
stupid situation to still be in.

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