Rich Text? plain Text?

[iris lilies]

I find myself in this position a lot: transmitting text documents from a Mac environment to a recipient who does not use Mac.

When they send me documents, my Mac is smart enough to read their PC generated docs but apparently that is not true going the other way. I wish I could learn and remember which version always works for my transmittals, is it Plain Text or Rich Text?

Don’t bring up Google Docs as the environment we should all be working in to share documents because my group, largely senior citizens, just don’t do that. I’ve seen more than one organization try to lead their members to Google Docs and no one’s having it. Ya gotta meet the people where they are.

[iris lilies]

I keep forgetting I have ChatGPT or even regular Google search would probably tell me the answer.

[iris lilies]

The answer, for my purposeS, is Rich Text.

[Tradd]

IL, are you trying to send a document you wrote in Pages? Just curious.

[iris lilies]

IL, are you trying to send a document you wrote in Pages? Just curious.

Yes

[kib]

As the only person in North America still using Word Perfect, I can tell you that it will translate Rich Text (and a large number of other languages, but not plain text). I believe RT is still more or less universal.

[iris lilies]

As the only person in North America still using Word Perfect, I can tell you that it will translate Rich Text (and a large number of other languages, but not plain text). I believe RT is still more or less universal.

how does WordPerfect even still exist?

Ah, how fondly I remember the command for “reveal codes.”

[kib]

Lol. I think I've been keeping it alive single handedly. My job long ago required me to be expert at it, and I still find it the easiest way to create simple spreadsheets and attractively formatted documents. Having that super flexible base makes it so frustrating to use / learn any other language. It's starting to need elder care, though, and it's the only thing really keeping me away from the Mac universe.

ETA: if you were coming at Mac as a complete newbie, what language / skills would you focus on?

[iris lilies]

Lol. I think I've been keeping it alive single handedly. My job long ago required me to be expert at it, and I still find it the easiest way to create simple spreadsheets and attractively formatted documents. Having that super flexible base makes it so frustrating to use / learn any other language. It's starting to need elder care, though, and it's the only thing really keeping me away from the Mac universe.

ETA: if you were coming at Mac as a complete newbie, what language / skills would you focus on?

kib, I describe myself as having “kindergarten level” knowledge of almost every program and device I use.

I do not know any “language.”

Two years ago I bit the bullet and just plunged into moving from a PC computing environment to a Mac world. I transferred all my files. I have retained my “kindergarten” level of knowledge for it all. I produce very simple spreadsheet and text docs. Nothing is pretty.

last year I was on eight different boards, being secretary for a couple of them, president for a couple of them, treasurer for one, etc. and that means I have to produce documents and share them. The biggest pain about Mac world Is that I have to convert my data into a different format whenever I’m sending it to others. Apparently, the majority of the world is still PC based.

[kib]

Well maybe "language" is a bit self important for what I'm doing! Just my term for knowing how to use specific OS and software and getting it to be compatible.

We are currently a house divided, with DH in the Mac-ro-verse and me PC / Android / WP. Part of me is envious of the Mac world, part of me spent time with MIL in a store with a Genius Bar and thought I'd rather shoot myself than stand there with $17,000 in devices I don't really need and can't fix myself, that aren't doing what was promised. I can do that for $1000 at home!