General computer skills/Wordprocessing formats

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* https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Comparison_of_ODF_software
* https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Comparison_of_ODF_software
* https://www.cio.com/article/3104627/10-reasons-you-should-use-libreoffice-and-not-microsoft-word.html
* https://www.cio.com/article/3104627/10-reasons-you-should-use-libreoffice-and-not-microsoft-word.html
 +
* https://technology.blog.gov.uk/2018/04/27/open-document-format-in-government-an-update/

Revision as of 18:45, 30 March 2019

MS-Word (.doc, .docx and .docm) is not a very good file format to send to other people. The MS-Word format is one that is constantly changing with every new version of MS-Word. People who have older versions of MS-Word cannot read files produced by newer versions. Many other word processors have difficultly with MS-Word format.

Unfortunately MS-Word formats don't follow open standards. This makes it very difficult for non Microsoft wordprocessors to work correctly with these files. If you are concerned about making files accessible to people that are using something other than the latest version of MS-Word, please choose one of the alternative formats listed below. Government workers can be especially sensitive that they are not "choosing winners" by making their files accessible only to people that buy Microsoft's products.

If you're sending an e-mail message, plain text is best. Save the file as text or use cut and paste.

1) Cut and Paste

  • Open up the MS-Word (.doc) document.
  • Highlight the portion you want to send
  • Use the menu Edit/Copy (or perhaps File/Copy)
  • Open up your e-mail message
  • Click where you want it to be
  • Use the menu Edit/Paste (or perhaps File/Paste)

2) Save as text file

  • Open up the MS-Word (.doc) document
  • use the menu File/Save As...
  • select Format (or perhaps Type) to be Text (or Plain Text, or ASCII)
  • change the file name to end with ".txt"
  • click on Okay


  • Open up your e-mail message
  • Attach the ".txt" file.


If you want someone else to load the file into a word processor, use OpenDocument (.odt) or RTF format.

OpenDocument is the cross-platform file format for office documents. OpenDocument (.odt) replaces RTF as the preferred format for office documents. Make sure your word processor supports it. There are links below which help you add this feature to MS-Word.

RTF on the other hand is the format readable by more different kinds of word processors and older versions of MS-Word than MS-Word (.doc) format.

  • Open up the MS-Word (.doc) document
  • use the menu File/Save As...
  • select Format (or perhaps Type) to be RTF (or Rich Text Format)
  • change the file name to end with ".rtf"
  • click on Okay
  • Open up your e-mail message
  • Attach the ".rtf" file.


If you have a highly formatted document that you want others to see exactly as it has been prepared, but you don't need them to be able to edit the file, PDF is the best format. OpenOffice (see below) can convert MS-Word format documents to PDF.

You can read related information at:

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