Many , many thanks Martin for such a helpfully explicit answer. MUGLO membership pays off again !! :-) I'll try your various alternative solutions , but feel sure the first one will suffice Thanks again for your time and consideration in replying Ilbert On 27 Jan 2004, at 9:10 AM, Martin Albinger wrote: > Ilbert Walker wrote: > >> >> Would be interested in hearing of others solutions to this problem >> of=20 >> communicating with the other 95% of the world ! >> >> Buy MacLink or similar translator ? >> Buy MS Word or Office? >> Buy MS Entourage ? ( little use to me as a retiree) >> some other work around ? >> > > The cheapest way : You have a G5 correct? If so it likely came > with Appleworks 6.2.x. As long as the .doc files are not too > complex AW6 does a fine job of translating them. Doubleclicking > may not open the file or start the translation process so you may > have to start up AW6 go to File : Open beside "All Types" it > normally says Appleworks choose "All Available" then navigate to > where your MS.doc file is a select it and open. In most cases AW6 > will open and translate the file. > > After working on it you can reverse the process using File : Save > As : then choose the file format you want - MS Word 97, 2000 is > the most recent one listed on my system. You might suggest to > those sending you files to do a Save As at their end using MS 97 > as the format - makes for fewer headaches for you. > > Next cheapest way: send files in pdf format (tougher to do > cheaply on the PC OS 8 and 9 users can get PrinttoPDF - simple > and slick; OS X can do it all by its lonley) > Next less cheap way: Buy MacLink > Next less cheap way: Buy MS Word (if all you trade are WP files) > Next less cheap way: Buy Office > Next less cheap way: Buy Virtual PC and Word > Next less cheap way: Buy VPC and Office > Next less cheap way: Buy a used PC that has Office on it > (unethical / piracy?) > Next less cheap way: Buy a Cheap PC (might be cheaper than > getting Office for the Mac and have it already installed > > Hope that helps > > > > > _________________________________________________ > > For information concerning the MUGLO List just click on > > http://muglo.on.ca/pages/members.html#Joinmuglo > > Don't forget to periodically check our web site at: > > http://muglo.on.ca/ > > _________________________________________________ For information concerning the MUGLO List just click on http://muglo.on.ca/pages/members.html#Joinmuglo Don't forget to periodically check our web site at: http://muglo.on.ca/