Docx

This wretched format is really a massive step backwards for Microsoft.

First of all, it crashes Open Office. I am not going to invest in a £350 software package to read two or three documents a month, so I tell people; if it's not RTF or TXT, I'm not touching it.

Secondly, it's not even compatible with other versions of Microsoft Office. Now that is really dumb.

Suppose I have 1000 employees and I give 50 of them new computers, with the new version of Office. Either

(1) they all have to turn OFF the default option for saving documents, which is docx, so that other employees can actually read what they are writing, or

(2) I have to spend thousands getting new software for the other 950 staff.

In either case it's going to be a PITA, which does not stand for an oval shaped type of bread that goes with doner kebabs.

I've noticed an increasing number of publications now saying that they will only accept RTF or a specific flavour of DOC file - they are actually specifying 'Microsoft Word 97' or whatever.

Which means RTF is practically becoming the default. And 'Microsoft Word' is no longer a gold standard.

Microsoft has managed to destroy its own currency. That is not clever.