compatibility with .doc abiword or OpenOffice
 

I noticed OpenOffice has some problems displaying .doc files created and written in windows. I need to write some files I might need to get into windows later and I don't want the layout to change if I switch between and change content somewhere in the process. I tried only once but then switching from linux to windows went ok. I checked the word margins and they're the same in OOo so does it just not support correct switching between environments or is there something else I can do about it? Is abiword better in getting the formatting right?

People told me this could happen, but I have never seen yet. When the document is heavily formatted, or has lots of tables and images, there can be some mess by Open Office.
There's nothing we can do as users, I guess... Just wait for OOo improving with further development...
Abiword can be an option. Did you try it?

Now I've tested with a document that gave those layout errors in OpenOffice and in abiword it was just as bad. It seems that both don't like playing with tabs or loose spaces and seemingly random returns

But are you able to create a document with as much formatting, but in sxw format?

I can create a swx with proper formatting. What I tested wasn't heavily formatted but it still looked the same in windows after I saved it to .doc.
Shame on school, everything needs to be windows. :(

Yes, reallly shame. But you can install OOo for win, anyway...
The ideal would be to stop using doc format, to use sxw or any other open standard format....