Re: OT - Help! Bought something on ebay

In article <4893cae5$0$14325$c3e8da3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Janet Wilder <kelliepoodle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Bruce S wrote:
"Janet Wilder" <kelliepoodle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4893c2f5$0$18588$c3e8da3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bruce S wrote:
"Janet Wilder" <kelliepoodle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4893a579$0$18529$c3e8da3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
One more question. I know I'm an idiot, but someone please indulge me a
moment longer.

My friend was here today and he had seen the computer on ebay and asked
me if I knew that it was Linux based and not windows. I said I knew
that. I also know that it runs Firefox as a browser and uses Open Office
as a word processor. I had thought that I'd just copy the Open office
files onto my home computer when I got back to the US and edit, print,
etc. He said that the Open Office in Linux won't be the same as the one
I have in my Windows based computer.

I would think that Open Office would translate the files. Am I wrong?
Will I not be able to retrieve those files and move them to my home PC?
I was anticipating using the thumb drive to put my bookmarks into the
Asus and copy the text files to the home PC. Will I have to download
Linux to my home PC to read the files?

I need one of you computer-smart people to help me out here.

Janet,

In an effort to get an answer for you, I closed Windows, opened Ubuntu
(Linux), opened open office, and typed this response to you. From there I
closed Ubuntu, opened Windows, opened Word Perfect (your word processor
of choice) and attempted to copy it into OE Express. If you are reading
it, that means that you can work in Linux, and copy it to Windows. This
took two tries because the first time I saved it in Open Office format
and that wouldn't work with WP12 (didn't try Word). The second time I
saved in .txt and it worked. Should also work as .rtf.
Thank you so much, Bruce!!!! I have used *.rtf many times. Open Office
does have some issues with WP (I have 11). I downloaded Open Office as a
translator into *.rtf or even *.doc files that WP can open.

My friend was jabbering that the Open Office on Linux was not the same as
the one on Windows and that's what worried me.

I no longer have Open Office on my computer - as long as I have Word Perfect
I don't need anything else. But as I said, it moved from Linux OO to WP12
by way of .txt with no problems. Should be even easier to move from OO
Linux to OO Windows.


You are right about not needing anything else with WP. I've been using
it since version 1.? way back in the early 90's when you could print the

I doubt it. <grin>

I used WP 1.0.8 in it's -native- environment -- Data General minicomputers --
in 1981. *BEFORE* the IBM PC was released. WP was 'ported' from the DG
environment to the PC. The early versions were noted for their _blinding_
speed, as well as ease-of-use -- they were written _entirely_ in assembler
language, and it -showed-; both in performance, and the small size of the
program itself. Unfortunately,that changed with 'version 4', which was a
-complete- re-write in a high-level language. Lots of new features, but the
performance suffered significantly.

The first version that existed as a "windows" application was version 6.
There were, in fact, two different version 6's, sold separately. You bought
"WordPerfect for DOS", version 6, _or_ "WordPerfect for Windows" Version 6.
Due to the general clunkiness of the Windows 3.1 interface, the WP for DOS
version was considerably better. :) All subsequent versions were for
Windows only.

"help" folder on one *** of paper and use it as a cheat *** for key
strokes. I've used all kinds of word processing programs like Word
Star, Ami-Pro and a few other obscurities, but nothing compares to the
power of Word Perfect. I can't comprehend how some professional writers
can make do with Microsoft Word. It's so lacking in sophistication.

They got sold a bill of goods, and took Microsoft's "Word" for it. <groan>

Seriously, "Word" was 'bundled' (along with "Excel") with a lot of early
Windows machines sold into the _business_ marketplace. People who "didn't
know any better", because they hadn't been exposed to anything else, thought
it was great. Everybody who -had- used something -- *anything* -- else,
tended to know better. Word _was_ easier to use than "WordStar", but that
was one of the very few good things you could say about early Word. <wry grin>




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