Word Is Broken

Not really, but in one aspect, it might as well be if you’re using Office 2003. Previous versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint could open and work with the newest versions of these programs. You could save a file in Word 2003 and use it in Word 97. With the release of Office 2007, Microsoft broke the compatibility with previous releases. You can’t open Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint files using earlier versions of Office.

Since the only version of Office now available is Office 2007, you’ll begin to notice this problem when you receive Office files you can’t open.

You have three options:

1. Upgrade to Office 2007 – Student Home edition is only $149 retail

2. Ask the person sending you the file to save it in the Office 97 – 2003 format

3. Download the Microsoft Compatibility Pack to allow older versions of Office to work With Office 2007.