What's with the docx?

**Big Dave** · 24th January 2008, 18:55

I've been sent a few files today in docx format.

My copy of word office mac won't deal. Is there a reader or something?

**Donor** · 24th January 2008, 18:57

From some random website...

"In Office 2007 Microsoft introduced a new file format called the Microsoft Open Office XML Format (.docx). This format is not compatible with older versions of Microsoft Word or with alternative operating systems like Linux or Mac OS X. Nor is it compatible with other word processing applications like OpenOffice, Lotus 123, or NeoOffice."

**YellowDog** · 24th January 2008, 18:59

You need MS-Word to open it. It is an open XML type document that your version of word may need a download so you can view it. Try it and see. Check out http://filext.com/file-extension/docx for a full explanation.

**Ixion** · 24th January 2008, 19:00

'Tis bloody Gates again, crapping on the world. docx is Office 2007 WP format incompatible witrh everything in the world, including all previous MS Words.

Sound familar. Anyone remeber the Word 2 / Word 6 debacle

You can sort of open them by installing a Compatibility Pack from here.

Probably crap the files out , pretty much, too.

And probably make everything else incompatible with anything else. that's Microshaft for y'

**Big Dave** · 24th January 2008, 19:00

Thanks - i emailed back and said get real.

**YellowDog** · 24th January 2008, 19:01

Download the MS-Word update from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

**boomer** · 24th January 2008, 19:01

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Thanks - i emailed back and said get real.

i can imagine a few mid wifes wanting to do that too BD

**Big Dave** · 24th January 2008, 19:11

>>This format is not compatible with alternative operating systems like Linux or Mac OS X.<<

Game over.

**xwhatsit** · 24th January 2008, 19:32

Run into a couple of these, and using Linux this gives me the shits.

Latest version of OpenOffice.org (which is available for Mac, Linux, Windows amongst others) supports docx. Not ideal, though. There's also a tool kicking around called OdfConvert, which is what I've been using, which converts the docx into odf files, which is an open standard supported on every operating system.

Docx is possibly the most dangerous thing to happen in the strange world of file formats for some time. Microsoft is bribing small countries to vote it into being an official `open' ISO/IEC standard, but with next to no documentation and many parts of the so-called `open standard' locked away under patent rulings. So virtually impossible to implement effectively. Odf is the proper open-standard next-generation document file format, but without proper Microsoft support in Word it's pretty much dead in the water unfortunately.

**miSTa** · 24th January 2008, 19:34

MS tried the same thing with Word 97 - different file format. Went back to the old format in the first service pack. MS don't seem to be very fast learners.

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 24th January 2008, 19:54

The file pack converters do work as I had to use them myself... then I just said ferk it and got MS Office 2007 which kinda sux...

**NordieBoy** · 24th January 2008, 20:13

When I install Office 2007 I make sure I change the default saves to DOC and XLS for Office 97-2003 format instead.

Reply to them in ODT format

**RantyDave** · 24th January 2008, 20:20

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Thanks - i emailed back and said get real.

A lot of people are doing that. Microsoft don't know what's hit them - people telling their customers to sort their lives out and stop sending them dodgy shit they can't open. It's been great.

Dave

**Big Dave** · 24th January 2008, 20:47

Originally Posted by RantyDave

A lot of people are doing that. Microsoft don't know what's hit them - people telling their customers to sort their lives out and stop sending them dodgy shit they can't open. It's been great.

Dave

If we could only defeat 'Publisher'!