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2 Replies Last post: Oct 4, 2008 8:03 PM by Randy_B_Singer  
Click to view Martian's profile Old Hand
Martian
1,484 posts since
Sep 27, 2001
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Jun 13, 2008 7:56 AM

Who/why use Office "XML" format?

For the Microsoft’s latest abuse of office suite monopoly power to work, there has to be some incentive for Office 2007 for Windows and 2008 for Mac to not merely create documents in the older “non-XML” format.

My questions are:
  1. Do Office 2007 and 2008 have “one time” preference settings to set the default save format to the older “non-XML”?
  2. What file format are most Office 2007 for Windows and Office 2008 for Mac users actually using?
  3. Are there genuinely desirable features available only with the “x” format to induce users to favor the new format?
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Click to view ab0si's profile New Member
ab0si
21 posts since
Mar 10, 2008
1. Jul 14, 2008 3:38 PM in response to: Martian
Re: Who/why use Office "XML" format?
1) For Office 2008: Preference, Save, Save File as...<pick your desired default from the list>
Similar with Office 2007 (I'll boot it up and give you the details if need).

2) I'm betting that most use the new , "improved" format .. simply because it is the default.

3) I've been told it saves to smaller files than the older Microsoft standard format. But then, I've been told that Vista is a great operating system, too.

I save to the new format simply because people I send files to use it and translation errors between formats are a PITA.

Paul
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Click to view Randy_B_Singer's profile Member
Randy_B_Singer
634 posts since
Dec 20, 2002
2. Oct 4, 2008 8:03 PM in response to: Martian
Re: Who/why use Office "XML" format?

Well, first, Microsoft isn't abusing any monopoly power with the latest version of Word. There is a free ".docx" to ".doc" converter available from Microsoft here:

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx?pid=Mactopia_AddTools&fid...
8E1-CF69-48C4-BF2D-C4A8ACEEE520#viewer

And the latest Mac and Win versions of Word can both open and save into the old format.

No one is being left behind by the new format, nor are they being forced to upgrade.

My questions are:

Do Office 2007 and 2008 have “one time” preference settings to set the default save format to the older “non-XML”?

Yes. In Word, in the Word menu choose Preferences; click on the Save icon; in the dropdown menu: Save Word Files As, choose Word 97 - 2004 document (.doc).

What file format are most Office 2007 for Windows and Office 2008 for Mac users actually using?

It would be hard to tell without taking a poll. But I am receiving plenty of both.

Are there genuinely desirable features available only with the “x” format to induce users to favor the new format?

I understand that the new format allows quite a bit more stability while working with Word than the old format. It also allows for smaller file sizes and the implementation of new features.



Randy B. Singer Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions) Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html
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