After playing a bit I notice that office 2000 is supposed to open works 4 files... But I couldn't open any. And the download is an addon that is supposed to let office open all works docs, but I couldn't get that working in linux with MS Office either... Ah well... Works ran a bit at least...

Back Again!!
nadroj...Right on the version. Linux XP Pro OS version 9.2 I don't do "games" as such, just the 3 or 4 supplied with Windows, no real graphics needed. I IM occasionally with some lady friends on Yahoo. No photo editing although I load some pics for printing. Media player just for some rented movies on DVD. 99% of my usage of the computer is using the programs in MSWorks, as noted, word processing, spreadsheet, database, communications. As a side note, MSWorks is a stand alone program unrelated to Microsoft Office and the two are not compatible. Can't open files from one to the other.

pixellany...What do I want to do? I write letters and do spreadsheets mostly. I have about 300 spreadsheets I certainly don't want to lose!

Dragineez/amosf...Microsoft has no converter to use with/between MSWorks and MSOffice. Totally different programs uncompatible with each other.

So far the links you guys have given me are excellent. I'm trying to sort out not only the language in Linux (sounds like Klingon to me) but where and how to get/put/access/use all of this stuff. Bear with me, you guys are really helpful.
Norm

"Dragineez/amosf...Microsoft has no converter to use with/between MSWorks and MSOffice. Totally different programs uncompatible with each other."

Well, they CLAIM that they do... But I didn't get it working...

for IM use gaim or kopete.. im sure one of the two are included in the OS you have.. they should be under the 'start' menu under 'internet', i would assume.

also there should be a preinstaleld office suite. if ooo (openOffice.org) isnt in your list, go to their official site (that i already posted) and read how to install and download it, then do that.

Dragineez/amosf...Microsoft has no converter to use with/between MSWorks and MSOffice. Totally different programs uncompatible with each other. /QUOTE]

amosf...Microsoft Office has included in the software a program named MSOffice Word. Supplied with Windows was a program named Wordpad. The reference MS makes to the converter is for updating the Word in MSOffice to the later versions, has nothing to do with Wordpad or the MSWorks Word Processor program. There are no updates or conversions whatsoever for Wordpad which is essentially replaced by MSOFFice Word. There is no way to convert the MSWorks Word Processor program to any other Word program in the MS family. This came from a Microsoft programmer I called.

Essentially MS has three references in the MS library; MSOffice Word, Wordpad and MSWorks Word Processor. That's where the confusion comes from. They don't specify which one the converter is for but it is only for the update to later versions of MSOffice Word.

nadroj...Supposedly built into the version I have:
K3B CD and DVD Burning Software
Limewire P2P Download software
X MultiMedia System
Mozilla Firefox (I found it and am using it)
The GIMP
Gaim
Open Office (which you pointed out)
Calenders
I haven't opened them all but I'm working on it.

I'm still checking out all of the suggestions supplied here and hope to find something I can use. Keep the thoughts coming they are appreciated. Thanks again! Norm

"amosf...Microsoft Office has included in the software a program named MSOffice Word. Supplied with Windows was a program named Wordpad. The reference MS makes to the converter is for updating the Word in MSOffice to the later versions, has nothing to do with Wordpad or the MSWorks Word Processor program. There are no updates or conversions whatsoever for Wordpad which is essentially replaced by MSOFFice Word. There is no way to convert the MSWorks Word Processor program to any other Word program in the MS family. This came from a Microsoft programmer I called."

Ah. I have MSOffice 2000. It has an option to open works4 files - so it says. I'm looking at the menu right now. MS has a download that is also supposed to allow it to open later works files. That's what I have been saying... MSOffice does SAY that it opens works4 files... It just does't seem to work... As for wordpad... It's a joke and it's not a works replacement. Works was an office suite.

In any case, as I said, you can run MSworks on linux with wine in a broken fashion that will load MSWorks files and then save them as rtf. Then you load them in OOo which is a better app as it IS compatible fairly well with MSOffice and other formats. Or convert them in windows. Either way, as I worked out a long time ago, you need to get the file out of work format where they are trapped and onto some compatible format you can actually use...

I think the work/word file format incompatibility is the biggest joke MS has given us...

I too, used Works for many years and was content until MS took the business templates that were in 4.0 and 4.5 and put them in their $400 business suite. There are some converters to let Word read Works text documents, but not sure if Excel can read Works spreadsheets. You may be able to convert some of these Works files to MS Office, then convert them to OpenOffice, or KOffice in linux.

Unfortunately MS made each successive version of Works to be incompatible with the previous version so as to wean users off of a $40 software onto a $400 MS office suite.

OpenOffice can do 99% of all the obscure stuff that MS Office does.
Check out Koffice - also another full featured suite. KOffice has a few bugs, but opens way faster than OO and also has an equivaqlent to MS ACCESS (database)
ABIword is clean and fast

good luck

amosf...I downloaded the MS converter and tried to use it to go from MSWorks 4.5 files to MSOffice files. Didn't work. Everything was screwed up and I got error messages indicating the incompatibility of the file formats. Maybe I did it wrong but I followed the instructions to the letter. If I had a later ver of Works it might have worked, I dunno. Im going to concentrate on converting to the OOo in Linux.

Trio3b...You got that right. MS has been forcing us to buy updates for years but with Linux I think Bill Gates better pay attention. I'm amazed at the power and the programs available with Linux. I should have done this years ago.

It's going to take me a month of Sundays to check out all of the stuff you guys have given me. This is terrific and I really appreciate all of the help. Norm

I haven't had any luck with the MS converter either...