buggered

[erastes]

No point editing further today. Despite me having saved my file as both an Open Office file and a word 97 document – Word 97 won't open either of them, and my editor has "an elderly" version of word, so it's unlikely to deal with Open Office. And of course, as I'm not online at Dad's I can't send her a test file to see if it can. So on my way home I'll have to take a detour into Norwich or Yarmouth and get a new version. I can't continue to work like this if I want to continue to be professional, and the edits have to be done on time, and I am not the sort to make pathetic excuses.  Office used to come with PCs so what changed that it no longer does?  Gates can't be needing the money. ETA: haven't got it yet. Now I'm home, I'll ask Deb if she can convert ODTs for now.

So I shall continue to read the very promising "Nobleman and the Spy" by Dee and Devon instead. And perhaps be brave enough to open I Knew Him and poke it with a stick.

That's exactly how I feel about it, too. Just the fact of opening the file feels like peering into a cage of dangerous vampire monkeys and to get them to do something requires a sharpened stick poked through the cage. I'm sitting around for inspiration to strike—and that's not going to happen is it? I need to stop being an ostrich and do a storyboard or a set of cue cards or something – SOMETHING so I know where I'm going and not just blundering ahead like a blind mole rat in a very small china shop.

Whine whine. I know.

In other news I just saw a tagline for LOTRs: Conquest "Conquer Middle-Earth in New ways" – oo!  Would these new ways include actually playing as Frodo and NOT BLOODY FIGHTING? I doubt it very very much. it will be just another hack and slash, I'm sure.

Comments

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

It's strange that Word can't open a document that Open Office formatted for it. But I have noticed some files just get too big for some versions of Word, it can't handle them. I just got in the habit of breaking files by chapters. Maybe try out a small chunk as an experiment?

[countrygirlxxoo.livejournal.com]

In either word processor, Word (all versions) or Open Office, save the original file as the default format, then do file, save as, and under the file type (.doc, .odt usually the box below the filename box), choose Rich Text File (.rtf) and have your editor do the same. You should then be able to open this file in just about any word processing program. The only drawback is that if you use track changes in Word, it will not work in the rtf file.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

well that's the problem because we have to use tracked changes. I think i've got it sussed out, it was because she was saving her files with dots, e.g. muffled drum 1.2.doc which of course the old word couldn't cope with, so i think i've got a workable version now! thanks!

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

I've been doing some editing work and the author I'm working with now has Word 2010... and I have 2003, and when I highlight something and save the file, the damned thing re-opens with the highlighted material in 6 point type. NOT funny, and with the size of this ms I don't need having to go back over it multiple times to fix the font size

I despise the whole Microsoft organization. They have taken out the only useful things in their Windows program and put in tons of crap that I don't want, never use, and resent the space it takes on my hard drive, but they DON'T give you the word-processing function (which is also larded with useless rubbish.)

grr.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I agree - the simplest programmes - 97 and 2003 were certainly the best - I've got a trial version of 2010 on my pc and it was so hard to use.