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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: umijin on Feb 22, '06 07:55:18AM

Does NeoOffice or OpenOffice work with windows text formats?

My students have to submit their papers as .doc files, but many of them don't understand that they aren't using MS Word on their PCs, but the Word subapp of MSWorks for Windows. So, they end up sending me files in .wps format, which don't retain their formatting or graphics. Others send me some Windoze WordPerfect files. Neither of these can be opened with Mac MSWord - and I don't see any translators out there that do the job on the Mac end.

Will NeoOffice or OpenOffice do the trick?



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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: j-beda on Feb 22, '06 08:06:19AM

I insist students submit stuff in OpenDocument, PDF, text, or RTF. Figuring out how to make an RTF document or better a PDF is a useful skill in and of itself. Being draconian at the start of the course has good payoff for the rest of the year. Insisting on a good file name is also of value.

PDFCreator is an open source printer driver for windows that might be of use: http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/



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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: umijin on Feb 23, '06 08:58:50AM

My teaching environment is a bit different than most. I would best describe it as a continuing ed or community college type of situation.

So, most of my students can't handle basic computing tasks like saving in .rtf format or even knowing what application they are running in Windows. Their home computers don't come with Office and they only install cheap apps or games. Forget having them save to pdf format - they don't know how to do that either, or don't have the full Acrobat version to handle that in Windows.

Even after explaining to them hundreds of times what to do - they just have difficulty understanding I don't want wps files. But since that's the most common incorrect format they send me - it would be great to convert properly.

Given that they need in insert a few graphic files - I suppose MS Works suits their needs - just not mine.



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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: j-beda on Feb 24, '06 06:51:06AM

I understand your difficulties - many of my students seem to have similar problems. I also accept things on paper, so maybe the real basket cases in my classes are not even trying.

I have had success with replying to the students who send in the wrong format a boilerplate set of instructions on how to save a file as RTF, which virtually every program supports. The trick is to do this from day one.

I even found a web reference that someone prepared at North Idaho College: http://www.nic.edu/dess/rtf.htm



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Are you editing your student's papers?
Authored by: rhowell on Feb 22, '06 08:13:31AM

Are you editing your student's papers? If not, why are you insisting they submit them in a proprietary format that requires an editor to read them? When I hand out a memo at a meeting, I don't ask that attendees use a typewriter to read it :-)

Word is for editing. PDF is for reading/annotating.

Office 2004 for students/teachers: $149.00
Creating/reading/annotating PDF documents: FREE



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Are you editing your student's papers?
Authored by: tomsinclair on Feb 22, '06 08:40:13AM

Agreed on the PDF requirement. I got tired of dealing with .doc, .wps, .rtf formats so I only accept PDF files. For Windows, I've found CutePDF (http://www.cutepdf.com) to be simple to install and use.

The annotation tools in Preview then make the assignments a snap to grade and return via e-mail.



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Are you editing your student's papers?
Authored by: umijin on Feb 23, '06 09:18:33AM

I've thought about using the annotation tools in Preview, but found them a bit limiting when I tried to use them for editing a late draft of a colleague's paper.

But I might try this in the future, as it saves paper.



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Are you editing your student's papers?
Authored by: umijin on Feb 23, '06 09:15:27AM

You don't get it.

They don't use Macs - only Windows and they are barely computer literate. They can't save to pdf format unless they have something like Acrobat (which they won't buy) or other Adobe product or some pdf file making app. Most of them don't have $145 to buy MS Office, and wouldn't even know if it was installed on their systems. Many of them have free versions of MS Works or buy it or WordPerfect for very cheap. Those that have access to MS Office usually have it at work or in our school's computer lab. But even they don't know how to use Word effectively.

I agree wholeheartedly that pdf files are the way to go. And if I was at a traditional 4 year college - I would. But in this case, it just isn't practical.



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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: JKT on Feb 22, '06 09:16:01AM

It's a free OSS application so download it and try it out for yourself. Alternatively, if you don't want to do that, go to http://trinity.neooffice.org forums and ask for someone to try a .wps document for you.

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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: Uncle Asad on Feb 22, '06 09:53:46AM

.WPS is the extension for Microsoft *Works*, is it not? I don't think there's a thing out there in any universe that can read those, except Works itself (unfortunately) :-( Maybe MacLinkPlus from DataViz can translate them into another format that other apps can read?

Otherwise, NeoOffice can handle both Mac and PC WordPerfect and Word/Excel/PowerPoint files.



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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: umijin on Feb 23, '06 09:36:00AM

Thanks for the info. Someone suggested OpenOffice or NeoOffice might open .wps.

Sure, I could have dowloaded the app myself and tried it, but was hoping someone would have used it previously.



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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: pfams12 on Feb 22, '06 03:25:44PM
MacLinkPlus does a very good job translating both in and cross platform for both old and new programs. I have succesfully translated old windows 3.1 Wordperfect files as well as MacWrite II files to contemporary formats. The program does cost $79.99, but if you require a reliable translator that works across a bunch of originating from multiple formats it is well worth the cost.
http://www.dataviz.com/products/maclinkplus/index.html

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So - works with windows formats?
Authored by: umijin on Feb 23, '06 09:40:39AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I may require students to submit in pdf format in the future, as it seems there are some free windows solutions for printing pdf files.



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