Word changes from computer to computer

Thanks for the insults, but the solutions cited have been tried previously.
When I said I tried everything, don’t think I haven’t been trying with 8
years of frustration with Word. I am pretty good with Word, I just don't like
it.

If Microsoft cared, they would resolve these problems, or at least give you
something in the documentation. I work with at least a dozen other major page
layout and graphics programs on a daily basis, which I consider to be my
tools and Word IS the ONLY program/tool that throws these kind of curves at
you ALL THE TIME.

No other program has so many nebulous, unexplained checkboxes. My other
“tools� work just fine, because they don’t shift things around like Word.
Most, if not all, of their issues are resolveable. I’m not the only person
that I hear complaining about this “should I say� proprietary little
idiosyncrasy. Perhaps the Gates/Borg/Futility image floating around the web
is something created by someone who LOVES Microsoft. - I could get into
other compatibility discussions with you regarding the import of your own
Word docs into your own Publisher docs. You don't even have compatibility
within your own products - but I won't. I've traveled down that road of
futility before too.

First of all, I may not be the creator of the original documents. I print
stuff from at least 150 different entities and when they say they’re sending
a Word Doc, I shutter.

Here’s an example. We have two workstations that have exactly the same
versions and settings, same default printer, set exactly the same, and have
two completely separate looks when you open the exact same Word document.


"garfield-n-odie [MVP]" wrote:

> See http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TextReflow.htm and
> http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/sharing/WillMyFormatChange.html .
> Resistance is not futile... you have apparently managed to resist
> learning how to use the software for all these years. As for
> proprietary garbage, well, a poor workman blames his tools.
>
> Roger at Desert Sands wrote:
>
> > Why do Word documents change appearance from computer to computer? In one
> > example the word wrap and colums change to the point that a new page is
> > created with as many as 35 or 40 lines. It opens fine on some computers, but
> > not on others. I tried everything, including removing the "normal.dot" and
> > re-opening. Nothing works. Are there some defaults or something that I'm
> > missing. This has been a problem for years, but we have just re-worked the
> > documents to accomodate Microsoft's typical proprietary garbage, but it's
> > high time Microsoft earned their keep. Let's have a fix please.
> > Resistance is futile - you will be assimilated!
>
>

Thanks for the insults, but the solutions cited have been tried previously.
When I said I tried everything, don’t think I haven’t been trying with 8
years of frustration with Word.

If Microsoft cared, they would recognize and correct these problems, or at
least give you something in the documentation. I work with at least a dozen
other major page layout and graphics programs on a daily basis, which I
consider to be my tools and Word IS the ONLY program/tool that throws these
kind of curves at you ALL THE TIME. No other program has so many nebulous
checkboxes. My other “tools� work just fine, because they don’t shift things
around like Word. I’m not the only person that I hear complaining about this
“should I say� proprietary little idiosyncrasy. Perhaps the
Gates/Borg/Futility image floating around the web is something created by
someone who LOVES Microsoft.

First of all, I may not be the creator of the original document. I print
stuff from at least 150 different entities and when they say they’re sending
a Word Doc, I shutter.

Here’s an example. We have two workstations that have exactly the same
versions and settings, same default printer, set exactly the same, and have
two completely separate looks when you open the exact same document.


"garfield-n-odie [MVP]" wrote:

> See http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TextReflow.htm and
> http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/sharing/WillMyFormatChange.html .
> Resistance is not futile... you have apparently managed to resist
> learning how to use the software for all these years. As for
> proprietary garbage, well, a poor workman blames his tools.
>
> Roger at Desert Sands wrote:
>
> > Why do Word documents change appearance from computer to computer? In one
> > example the word wrap and colums change to the point that a new page is
> > created with as many as 35 or 40 lines. It opens fine on some computers, but
> > not on others. I tried everything, including removing the "normal.dot" and
> > re-opening. Nothing works. Are there some defaults or something that I'm
> > missing. This has been a problem for years, but we have just re-worked the
> > documents to accomodate Microsoft's typical proprietary garbage, but it's
> > high time Microsoft earned their keep. Let's have a fix please.
> > Resistance is futile - you will be assimilated!
>
>

Hi Roger -

I can appreciate your frustration, but (IMHO) the problem really stems from
the base on which Word was originally built. Despite what anyone says it was
never intended to produce docs that would be passed around from one system
to another in an endless network of users and a plethora of printers and
fonts that change faster than a strobe light flashes. Despite their efforts
MS just can't force the old engine to handle the new technology. In fact,
when you take into consideration the vast array of ingredients & number of
cooks in the kitchen, Word really doesn't behave as badly as it may seem to.

I believe that was a major influence in basing 2007 on OXML & completely
reconstructing the software base. Perhaps doc stability will be one of the
advantages gained... Adobe seems to have done an effective job of building
InDesign from the ashes of PageMaker & others have undergone similar
overhauls with apparent success.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac



On 10/25/07 4:25 PM, in article
0EE6C110-FFD7-4DB0-AC6C-AAF72B4C3A52 RemoveThis @microsoft.com, "Roger at Desert Sands"
<RogeratDesertSands RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

Thanks for the insults, but the solutions cited have been tried previously.
When I said I tried everything, don¹t think I haven¹t been trying with 8
years of frustration with Word.

If Microsoft cared, they would recognize and correct these problems, or at
least give you something in the documentation. I work with at least a dozen
other major page layout and graphics programs on a daily basis, which I
consider to be my tools and Word IS the ONLY program/tool that throws these
kind of curves at you ALL THE TIME. No other program has so many nebulous
checkboxes. My other ³tools² work just fine, because they don¹t shift things
around like Word. I¹m not the only person that I hear complaining about this
³should I say² proprietary little idiosyncrasy. Perhaps the
Gates/Borg/Futility image floating around the web is something created by
someone who LOVES Microsoft.

First of all, I may not be the creator of the original document. I print
stuff from at least 150 different entities and when they say they¹re sending
a Word Doc, I shutter.

Here¹s an example. We have two workstations that have exactly the same
versions and settings, same default printer, set exactly the same, and have
two completely separate looks when you open the exact same document.


"garfield-n-odie [MVP]" wrote:

> See http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TextReflow.htm and
> http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/sharing/WillMyFormatChange.html .
> Resistance is not futile... you have apparently managed to resist
> learning how to use the software for all these years. As for
> proprietary garbage, well, a poor workman blames his tools.
>
> Roger at Desert Sands wrote:
>
> > Why do Word documents change appearance from computer to computer? In one
> > example the word wrap and colums change to the point that a new page is
> > created with as many as 35 or 40 lines. It opens fine on some computers, but
> > not on others. I tried everything, including removing the "normal.dot" and
> > re-opening. Nothing works. Are there some defaults or something that I'm
> > missing. This has been a problem for years, but we have just re-worked the
> > documents to accomodate Microsoft's typical proprietary garbage, but it's
> > high time Microsoft earned their keep. Let's have a fix please.
> > Resistance is futile - you will be assimilated!
>
>

Thank you thank you! You are the first mvp to give an insightful answer to
our dilemma. I'm convinced, as I'm sure many other frustrated users are that
have to deal with Microsoft's arrrogance. Unfortunately we had to remove 2007
from our workstations because we have a third party program that uses Access
as its base for our printshop tracking system, since Microsoft, in its
infinite wisdom, has made things non-backwards compatible. We bought and paid
for a multi-user license for the entire Office suite and can't use it.
Unfortunately too, we have clients that we constantly have to remind to "save
as" their files to our sad 2003 version. Some of them look at us like we are
in the Dark Ages. Right now we're at a crossroads with the company that wrote
our printshop program and if they don't give us the right answer, we're
dropping them for another company that wrote their own software. Then maybe
we can re-install 2007 and "press" on. Thank you! Thank you! Essentially,
you've answered unlike any other Microsoft advocate. Your answer was accurate
and HONEST. If you haven't heard the story of the fog and the helicopter in
Seattle, I would be happy to share it, but I'm sure you've heard them all.

BTW, how and where do they get people like garfield-n-odie? Oh, I know...
never mind.

Thanks again.

"CyberTaz" wrote:

> Hi Roger -
>
> I can appreciate your frustration, but (IMHO) the problem really stems from
> the base on which Word was originally built. Despite what anyone says it was
> never intended to produce docs that would be passed around from one system
> to another in an endless network of users and a plethora of printers and
> fonts that change faster than a strobe light flashes. Despite their efforts
> MS just can't force the old engine to handle the new technology. In fact,
> when you take into consideration the vast array of ingredients & number of
> cooks in the kitchen, Word really doesn't behave as badly as it may seem to.
>
> I believe that was a major influence in basing 2007 on OXML & completely
> reconstructing the software base. Perhaps doc stability will be one of the
> advantages gained... Adobe seems to have done an effective job of building
> InDesign from the ashes of PageMaker & others have undergone similar
> overhauls with apparent success.
>
> Regards |:>)
> Bob Jones
> [MVP] Office:Mac
>
>
>
> On 10/25/07 4:25 PM, in article
> 0EE6C110-FFD7-4DB0-AC6C-AAF72B4C3A52.DeleteThis@microsoft.com, "Roger at Desert Sands"
> <RogeratDesertSands.DeleteThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the insults, but the solutions cited have been tried previously.
> When I said I tried everything, don¹t think I haven¹t been trying with 8
> years of frustration with Word.
>
> If Microsoft cared, they would recognize and correct these problems, or at
> least give you something in the documentation. I work with at least a dozen
> other major page layout and graphics programs on a daily basis, which I
> consider to be my tools and Word IS the ONLY program/tool that throws these
> kind of curves at you ALL THE TIME. No other program has so many nebulous
> checkboxes. My other ³tools² work just fine, because they don¹t shift things
> around like Word. I¹m not the only person that I hear complaining about this
> ³should I say² proprietary little idiosyncrasy. Perhaps the
> Gates/Borg/Futility image floating around the web is something created by
> someone who LOVES Microsoft.
>
> First of all, I may not be the creator of the original document. I print
> stuff from at least 150 different entities and when they say they¹re sending
> a Word Doc, I shutter.
>
> Here¹s an example. We have two workstations that have exactly the same
> versions and settings, same default printer, set exactly the same, and have
> two completely separate looks when you open the exact same document.
>
>
> "garfield-n-odie [MVP]" wrote:
>
> > See http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TextReflow.htm and
> > http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/sharing/WillMyFormatChange.html .
> > Resistance is not futile... you have apparently managed to resist
> > learning how to use the software for all these years. As for
> > proprietary garbage, well, a poor workman blames his tools.
> >
> > Roger at Desert Sands wrote:
> >
> > > Why do Word documents change appearance from computer to computer? In one
> > > example the word wrap and colums change to the point that a new page is
> > > created with as many as 35 or 40 lines. It opens fine on some computers, but
> > > not on others. I tried everything, including removing the "normal.dot" and
> > > re-opening. Nothing works. Are there some defaults or something that I'm
> > > missing. This has been a problem for years, but we have just re-worked the
> > > documents to accomodate Microsoft's typical proprietary garbage, but it's
> > > high time Microsoft earned their keep. Let's have a fix please.
> > > Resistance is futile - you will be assimilated!
> >
> >
>
>