Discussion of different strategies for universal access

Depending on your needs, there are different strategies to take when deciding how to save your files.

You create the file on one computer and need to bring it to another computer for viewing:

For high school students, this often means that you created the file at home and you need to make sure that it shows up on your teacher's computer.

Save the file multiple times: once in its native format, once in a format that you think will work, once in a truly universal format. e.g. You create a report with Microsoft Office 2008 on your mac at home.

• Save once in whatever format the program normally saves with.
• Save as a Word 2004 document
• Save as an RTF (Rich Text Format) document

You create the file on your computer and send it to someone with an unknown platform and software:

This could be something like submitting a job resume or college entrance essay electronically.

• Read the instructions. They might say what type to use
• Save as an Industry Standard type
• Ask the recipient as to which they prefer

You want others to be able to 'look, but don't mess with it'

• Convert to a pdf file. (but be careful, it is possible to edit these)
• Convert to a tiff file. (these are 'pictures' of the document. they take up extra memory and using a graphics program, you can still make changes to them.)

You want others to be able to look at it and they might want to see it later

• Save it on the web!

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