Is file compatibility for documents a problem?

My DataDrs machine working well. Have several novels and short stories on board using W95 and Word97. Concerned that in the future publishers will refuse W95- or W98-based text. I understand that W-ME and XP have different framework. Is there any conversion SW that would make it possible to transfer the W95 material to W-XP? Thanks. JAPeterson. Phx. PS- already a subscriber.

This question was answered on December 16, 2002. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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I wouldn't worry about it too much Word processing formats are pretty-much always backward compatible Where problems arise, is when you are the first kid on the block with a new version of a program, and nobody else can read your new-format files

Stick with programs that have been around a couple of years You won't have any problem.

Should you encounter some difficulty, open the errant file on your machine, then save it in text-only format It will then have a .txt extension, and can be read by most any word processing program, but you will lose such formatting as columns and illustrations.

The Windows XP framework you refer to is the NTFS file system, and only affects files on a given hard drive NTFS is also used with Windows NT and 2000 If a file is copied to a another disk or sent via e-mail, it will automatically take on the attributes of the new destination

File format compatibility on Windows machines is only a problem when an NTFS formatted disk exists on the same PC as another drive using the old DOS-compatible format used with Windows 98 and ME This older format is called FAT32.

NTFS cannot read files from a FAT32 formatted hard drive on the same PC directly, and vice-versa, but it's not a problem in the situation you describe.

RG

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Posted by Robert of Mesa Community College on December 16, 2002

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