MS Word

[Anne]

I have 2 problems in MS Word:

1)  I cannot manage to get a font displayed with size greater than 72 - I want to print much larger than that for some room labels for a meeting.  Years ago, with Nisus, I could print larger, but haven't needed to since then.  Is it possible with MS Word?

2)  Most of my MS Word menus are in English, but the Print menu (upper part of the menu) is in Japanese, and Page Setup, Save and some other menus are entirely in Japanese.  There used to be a way of "registering" a program for a menu language - is that possible with OS 10.5.6?

Thanks!

Anne

[Col]

It is possible to make font sizes over 72 point in MS word (I just found that I could do 800 point) - it is just that they are not listed as options in the Format toolbar or Formatting palette. 

1. Highlight the text that you wish to change.

2. Click once in the font size box with the mouse and it should become hghlighted.

3. Type the font size that you want.

4. Hit Return or Enter

As for the J menus in Word, my guess is that you have used Microsoft Language Register (in MS Office, Additional Tools in Office 2008) to enable you to view J text without mojibake problems, but that it switched some stuff to Japanese. You can use Microsoft Language Register to change it back to English, but you might get mojibake when opening J docs. I had this problem with Office 2004, but not since I changed to Office 2008.

HTH,

Colin

[Anne]

Thanks Colin.  I have not upgraded MS Office in ages - it seems I have a 2001 version.  Not keen to throw money Microsoft's way by upgrading!

I had tried to change the font size by highlighting the number in the font size box in the formatting pallette or toolbar, but it refused to accept any entered number.  In the end I managed to do it by going to the Format menu and entering via the font size there.

I had completely forgotten where to find the language register - thanks.  Will try changing it to English, but will have to change back if I have problems with Japanese files.

Anne

[Robert Seltman]

Ann have you considered the many alternatives to MS Word that are now available, some as apps and some in the cloud.
Run through this list and see if there is any that apply to your needs.

http://www.curiousread.com/2008/12/50-websites-youll-wonder-how-you-lived.html

This list is by no means exhaustive but a place to start. 'In cloud' computing is new to some of us but worth considering in a pinch... some say it is the way of the future... some fear it as a precursor to Big Brother and data vulnerability... the answer to this may be encryption, but many of us live a life too dull to interest spies and such. I myself still bumble through with MS Word, having long before past thesis writing and other application intensive word processing.

MS Word is less the professional standard it once was, as more and more corporations find alternatives in both applications and OS.

[Denny Crane]

MS Word is less the professional standard it once was, as more and more corporations find alternatives in both applications and OS.

Robert, I wish that were the case, but for professional -- meaning commercial or business -- use, I continue to find that it is necessary to stick with MW Word or to a lesser extent WordPerfect. Yes, there are others that are very impressive, but one has to deal with clients or colleagues that have no spirit of adventure at all in this regard. 

Norm

[Anne]

Thanks Robert - a fascinating list.  I'm not quite ready for web based applications as when we are in the UK and staying with friends, if they do not have a wireless set up, I cannot access the internet via broadband as British Telecom has the strangest connection - not a LAN connector, and I cannot find an adapter that works with my Mac - and so I'm stuck with dial up! 

Anne

[Jimmie]

British Telecom has the strangest connection - not a LAN connector, and I cannot find an adapter that works with my Mac - and so I'm stuck with dial up! 

Gaak! That won't do. Surely electronics stores have something. Macs aren't that rare in Kiwiland are they? Send a picture of what you have to connect with. Maybe we can help.

Jimmie

[Anne]

Sorry Jimmie - this is when I am visiting friends in the UK!  In NZ there are the normal LAN connectors.  If I still find the same problems on our visit in Jan, I'll take photos.   

Thanks

Anne

[ronr]

Yes, there are others that are very impressive, but one has to deal with clients or colleagues that have no spirit of adventure at all in this regard. 

So true, especially when those colleagues scream about anything that looks "out of the ordinary" and, more importantly, when those clients are the people who make it possible for you to pay the bills and buy a beer or two.

Apple's Pages app can 'reasonably' export to Word, but I wouldn't want to risk troubling my clients to test it. So I keep up with the latest updates of Office. Actually, I get peeved at Apple for not having upgrade prices for iLife and iWork, each time is like buying a new app. Even cutting 25 bucks or so for repeat buyers would be a nice gesture...