Don't Assume.....
With some regularity I'm contacted by someone who has received a file, via email, that they cannot open. As I deal primarily with business professionals, inevitably the received file is important and needs to be handled in a timely fashion. The inquiring individual usually has been waiting for the file and now that it has arrived is disturbed that they cannot open it. Perhaps you've experienced this same situation. The scenario continues along the lines of a reply email is sent explaining that the awaited file could not be opened and inquiring what software should be used to open it.
Someplace along this path the individual either receives the file in an alternate format, sometimes faxed instead even, or acquires the missing bit of information about the software that would have permitted the file opening from the original message. A recent example is where the file sender suggested to the recipient that perhaps changing the file extension would allow existing software to open the file. The suggestion was so pathetic as to be laughable on so many levels. First is the assumption that the recipient would know how to change a file extension. Second was the level of ignorance about their own software, in which the file was created, that they would think that changing the file extension might work. Third was, perhaps institutionally, assuming that since they were using the newest version of this software, that the whole world was also using the same version. And there's the rub.
For years now, all major software has had "backward compatibility". What this means is that files created in older versions can be opened by the newer version. This also means, largely, that the new versions can save files in the older version format, thereby allowing those that are still using the older versions to open files from the new versions.
Using Microsoft's Office Suite as an example, I regularly see the following versions in my travels: Office 2000, Office XP, Office 2003, Office 2007. By no means is the latest version the most numerous. Nor will it be until just before a newer version is about to be released. Fortunately, MS Office 2007, while being a major change in many respects, still maintained a "backward compatibility" aspect that is notable. Not only can it open and save in the older formats, there is even a compatibility pack that can be downloaded and when installed will open Office 2007 files even if you're using Office 2000. You can find it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941B3470-3...
The example above was not an exchange between a nearby service organization and a vendor, but between a major brand name entity and boutique vendor. That the larger entity would assume "the world" could open file attachments from the latest software reflects poorly on that entity, not the recipient. Adding insult to injury, the sender had no idea of how to help the receiver open the file.
So, as we strive to communicate, let us not assume we're all on the same page, version, or field of dreams.
Someplace along this path the individual either receives the file in an alternate format, sometimes faxed instead even, or acquires the missing bit of information about the software that would have permitted the file opening from the original message. A recent example is where the file sender suggested to the recipient that perhaps changing the file extension would allow existing software to open the file. The suggestion was so pathetic as to be laughable on so many levels. First is the assumption that the recipient would know how to change a file extension. Second was the level of ignorance about their own software, in which the file was created, that they would think that changing the file extension might work. Third was, perhaps institutionally, assuming that since they were using the newest version of this software, that the whole world was also using the same version. And there's the rub.
For years now, all major software has had "backward compatibility". What this means is that files created in older versions can be opened by the newer version. This also means, largely, that the new versions can save files in the older version format, thereby allowing those that are still using the older versions to open files from the new versions.
Using Microsoft's Office Suite as an example, I regularly see the following versions in my travels: Office 2000, Office XP, Office 2003, Office 2007. By no means is the latest version the most numerous. Nor will it be until just before a newer version is about to be released. Fortunately, MS Office 2007, while being a major change in many respects, still maintained a "backward compatibility" aspect that is notable. Not only can it open and save in the older formats, there is even a compatibility pack that can be downloaded and when installed will open Office 2007 files even if you're using Office 2000. You can find it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941B3470-3...
The example above was not an exchange between a nearby service organization and a vendor, but between a major brand name entity and boutique vendor. That the larger entity would assume "the world" could open file attachments from the latest software reflects poorly on that entity, not the recipient. Adding insult to injury, the sender had no idea of how to help the receiver open the file.
So, as we strive to communicate, let us not assume we're all on the same page, version, or field of dreams.
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