I notice that my OpenOffice can't read Windows Write files. Is there any Linux word processor or editorthat can?

According to a mini-Google, Write was a word-processor in Window 1, 2 and 3. I found one reference to a similarity to Wordpad.

Have you tried a basic text editor---eg gedit, kedit, kate, etc.?

Also try some Google searches using--eg--"Windows Write OpenOffice"

Push comes to shove, you might find a utility to convert them to .doc format, which OOo will read.

Haven't tried it myself but the word is they open in nano.

Well, from experience I know that any text editor could read a Write file, but it would be full of formatting code.

Nano? I haven't heard of it. Is it the program described in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nano_%28text_editor%29 ? [looking at the screenshot of it] Wow, that is indeed an "old school" editor.

In my current version of Windows XP the Wordpad program reckons to open Write (*.wri) files.

If you can get access to a copy it might be easier to open your files in it and use "Save as", rather than trying to chase down support for such an old format in Linux

I know that option, but my Wordpad seems to have disappeared. I'm thinking it failed to install the last time I reinstalled Windows XP.
(The number of times you can reinstall and register it from one CD are apparently limited by Microsloth, and because crashes and bad system performance provoke me to reinstall it relatively often in the roughly 4.5 years I've used XP, I've run out of registerable reinstalls. It's taken to shutting me out every 30 days, and I haven't felt like buying another CD, especially when I'm making my most dedicated attempt yet to abandon Windows for Linux; so I've been reinstalling it over and over.)

Have you tried typing just:

wordpad

at the Run function from the start menu?

Assuredly that did occur to me.

Windows Write ".wri" files can be opened with either "WRITE.EXE" from Windows 3.1 or "wordpad.exe" from Windows XP.

If you don't find "Wordpad" in the Accessories in your XP Start Menu the shortcut may have been deleted, but the program may actually still be present. The actual program is located here.

C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe

You can run either "WRITE.EXE" or "wordpad.exe" using WINE on Linux. I don't know of any other programs to open ".WRI" files but I haven't done a thorough search. The ".WRI" file format was discontinued after Windows 3.1 so there really hasn't been a reason for other programs to support it.

You know you can call MS and get a registration code... It's a hassle having to call and read all those numbers to the support agent, but it is do-able if your copy is legit.

Ultimately Linux is better answer though.

OK. I hadn't supposed Microsloth would be that cooperative, if they would limit the registrations of my CD in the first place.

This might do, Antiword:

http://www.winfield.demon.nl/

I just tried that, and it worked. from this call alone, I would conclude that the Microsoft support people aren't as obnoxious as they used to be. The last time I had to call, the representative sounded like a robot. He was creepy. I think this call got transferred to a call center somewhere in the UK or perhaps Australia, because one of the automated message voices had a British accent of some kind, and the guy who helped me rolled his Rs.

wasn't that fun typing in all those number and letters ? such a pita really.

glad you got a resolution though.