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Windows 98. Launching a document in word 97

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  • 25-06-2012 10:50pm
    #1
    kegzmc
    Site Banned Posts: 153 ✭✭


    Hi there,

    I have a computer with windows 98 on it. I have a document on a disc I wish to open in Microsoft word format.

    Is this possible? Any tips or pointers appreciated!

    Where to start


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    #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,999 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    if you only want to view it you can get an old copy of word viewer

    if you want to edit it openoffice, but it would have to be an older version

    or open the document in word/openoffice on another pc and save as type wordpad


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    #3
    testicle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,430 ✭✭✭testicle


    WordPad should be able to open it too.


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    #4
    kegzmc
    Site Banned Posts: 153 ✭✭kegzmc


    Where can one purchase said applications?

    I would like to edit the document possibly to suit my requirements. Is this a complicated task?

    Keggles


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    #5
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,999 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    www.openoffice.org is free but you will need to check your machine can run it , windows 98 machines probably won't have enough RAM

    older versions of micorsoft office are no longer on sale, so you would have to buy the license second hand. NB. you can't buy OEM or Pre-installed copies second hand, buying second hand corporate licenses is also a bit of a grey area so you are down to full retail package, if such a thing still exists.

    Also a copy of office is probably worth more than a windows 98 computer


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    #6
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 82,176 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    At 14 years old there will be no support available for your windows 98 software or hardware. In addition, it's a hazard to connect to the internet, as it hasn't received updates for security vulnerabilities since July of 2006. Meaning you run a very high risk of being the victim of a cyber attack which can mean up to and including the loss of your personal data, perhaps even into the hands of criminals.

    In addition as Captain points out the hardware is now so far out of date that it falls well under the minimum requirements for most basic software applications: even if you managed to get a modern antivirus program installed, for example, the resources required to operate it would probably drag your PC to a crawl, and thats before you run a word processor or web browser.

    To edit the document you are honestly far better off opening your document on a machine at minimum running Windows XP Service Pack 3, and working on it from there.


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    #7
    Dude111
    Registered Users Posts: 1,771 ✭✭✭Dude111


    Its good to see you using Win98 kegzmc! (One good OS)


    Good luck finding a solution :)


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    #8
    testicle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,430 ✭✭✭testicle


    kegzmc wrote: »
    Where can one purchase said applications?

    I would like to edit the document possibly to suit my requirements. Is this a complicated task?

    Keggles

    Wordpad is free and part of Windows. Not sure if it could open Word documents 14 years ago though.

    Word Viewer is also free, you can get it on the internets though whether it'll work on Win98 is a different question, personally I wouldn't let a Windows 98 machine within an asses roar of an internet connection.

    The current version of Open Office won't run on 98, you'll have to find version 2 or earlier.


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    #9
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,999 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    testicle wrote: »
    Wordpad is free and part of Windows. Not sure if it could open Word documents 14 years ago though.
    Wasn't Works (not wordpad) the same as Word 2.0 ?


    The problem is not with the content, it's with the deliberate obstruction of the file layout in order to force people to up grade.


    But yes Microsoft, and Autodesk have made fortunes through new document formats that were incompatible with previous versions. I still don't think I've received a .docx that used any of the new features, and well over a year before I recieved a .docx that couldn't have been done in the freebie write from windows 3.0



    Windows 98 on the interweb is not a good idea. It just won't be able to handle the demands of script driven websites which most are these days. Can't remeber if something like google docs can import docs and convert the format on the fly,


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