Computers and the web have made the world a friendlier place for sharing. It is much easier, faster, and cheaper to send a digital file than mail paper. But sometimes recipients can't open the file. That's aggravating and something we never had to worry about with paper.
Compatibility problems usually arise from variance in operating system, software, or version. I cover all three here - if you have ever had problems with the new Word 2007 format, .docx, or are curious how compatible Macs are, this article is also for you.
As lawyers, we care about documents. The good news is that all compatibility problems related to documents, from whatever source, can be eliminated at once by switching to PDF as the default format.
Avoid Problems by Using the Common Language
The best way to rest easy is to make sure that everything leaving your office is in Portable Document Format (PDF). Because Reader, the essential software to view PDF, is free and ubiquitous your recipients will always be able to open your files. Updating their version of Reader is the maximum possible hassle. But since the basic feature of Reader, i.e. reading, is highly backward compatible, most versions will read most PDFs.
A Good Rule of Thumb
If, in the tangible world, you would have printed the thing on paper before sharing it with others, then in the digital realm you should print it to PDF before sharing it with others. PDF is the digital equivalent of tangible paper. You may want to take a quick look at the relationship between PDF, Adobe, Reader, and Acrobat.
I think of .doc as a factory assembly line and PDF as a finished product in the box and on the shelf ready for sale. When the file leaves the factory, it should be in appropriate packaging.
The name says it all: "Portable Document Format."
A couple of fringe benefits:
More Stable and Predicable
PDF is more secure and predictable than other formats like Word. Once a letter is converted to PDF, you know what your recipient will see, a Word file may look different depending on the version and the users settings.
Fraudulent intent aside, PDF eliminates the risk that someone will accidentally alter or delete part of your message.
Many people think of a PDF as a picture and, while not technically correct, it's a good way to think about how a PDF works in Reader for most purposes.
More Secure (but probably not as secure as you may think)
PDF is less susceptible to alteration and editing than other files. A PDF in Reader can't be changed. But an Acrobat user can edit a PDF in a way similar to a word processor unless the PDF is secured. If you want to be sure your files will stay exactly the same once released into the wild, you'll need to apply security in Acrobat -you can also protect, remove, or alter metadata in Acrobat.
Now let's get specific about, 1. PDF, 2. Microsoft Office, and, 3. Operating System compatibility.
I have prepared screen shots of all this stuff so before you get into it you can open the screen shot gallery in a pop up window to refer back and forth- you might to have to allow pop-ups from this site if your browser asks.
Or you could check them out after on the "Screen Shots" page.
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