Computer Documents

Your computer is much smarter than you. It’s time you just admit that. And while you might know the difference between documents and RTFs, that doesn’t mean you know everything you need to know. In a world where the Mac vs. PC debate is argued more often than political issues, you need to know what documents to use in your computer and how to use them. After all, if you have something to say, you need to be sure that someone can read it.

Choosing the Document Type

When you have to send a file to someone else, you might want to ask the format type they want. After all, they will know better than you what they want – you’re not a mind reader, are you? Most clients will want to have their files sent in something like a .doc or a .wps file. These are the standards for Microsoft Word and Works, respectively. Most computers already have these systems on them, so why not use them? Now, the trick is that innovations happen all the time and you will find that the newer versions of Office, for example, already have document types that are different from what you’ve just learned. Ah, technology. You will find there are also .docx files that are also able to be saved and while these don’t read any different, they are harder to open on old computers. The good news? Microsoft does have a coverter on their website, so you can download this and then you will be able to open up any files you want. Now all you need to do is to get others to use this converter too.

Back to the Basics

Of course, if your client is using a computer from the stone ages, you might not be able to send them a basic document file. In that case, you need to use a Notepad program or the Plain Text program on your system. These will make your writing really boring and they will allow you to send documents without a lot of fuss. Of course, if the person to whom you are sending the document is using these systems, they might be using a computer made out of stone, so they still might not be able to open anything up. At the very least, you can copy and paste the information into an email. Or send smoke signals.

Storing Your Documents

When you have the document all ready to go, it’s easy enough to save it on your computer, but you can also send yourself the file in an email. This way, no matter where you are, you can get to the file. Or you might want to look into cloud computing, like Google docs. These systems store your information out in some cloud somewhere and you can access it from anywhere. You don’t have to be at your computer anymore to get the files you need. You could be in Hawaii and still send in work. Laziness at its best.