Universal Access (how to save a file so anyone can open it, anywhere)

It used to be that to make sure that anyone could read your file, you had to save it at the very 'lowest common denominator" which was ascii text and you had to send it through the internet to cross platforms. Switching platforms with a floppy disk was almost impossible. Nowadays, many software titles can handle a dozen different file types and with care, disks can be used between different platforms.

There are many different approaches to ensure universal access to your information. This page does not pretend to be exhaustive, but does list a number of the more common.

Background information

• File types - proprietary vs. industry standard
• Discussion of different strategies

Specific "How-to's"

• General discussion on how to save as a different file type (Microsoft Office users pay attention) (and avoid reading all of the pages listed below)
• Create an Adobe Acrobat pdf file
• Create a web page
• Double click on a document and it doesn't open or the 'wrong' application opens
• Working on a Macintosh, saving for Windows users
• Working in Windows, saving for Macintosh users
• Working with Microsoft Works, saving for Microsoft Office
• Early Adopters - Concerns when using the 'latest and greatest' (Office 2007 and 2008)
• Emergency measures - your project is due in 10 minutes, it won't open and your software is at home.

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