Word Compatibility Falls Down

It's not like we didn't know this was coming, but to finally bump up against it really sends the message home. Today I got my first Word document file attachment that I could not open with Word. I use Word 2003 and the file I received was in Word 2007 format.

It hit home that it has been a full decade - a very long time in IT terms - that the Word .doc file format has been a constant standard. You could always rely on it. No matter what, you could open anyone's file that they shared with you. That all changed, for me, today.

Up until now, I have not even considered alternatives to Office because it was just so convenient. It was lazy of me, yes, but Microsoft just had me too tantalized with the total ease of always being able to open anything. Now my main reason for being loyal to office is gone. I have tried 2007 but it doesn't turn me on - just a bunch of interface changes I didn't ask for and don't wish to learn. Interestingly, Open Office Writer, because it still has the classic menu interface, is now more consistent with the Word I'm used to than even the new Word.

Thanks Microsoft. By changing the office UI so much and altering the file format, you have unhooked me from my Office habit, and I'm free. Free to seriously beging using free software. I bet that's not what you intended, but it's what you've done.