28Dec

Things You Need to Know About a DocX Converter (the latest in technology)

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By Roberto Garabell

  Though many perceive that Apple has a higher satisfaction rate, both Apple and Microsoft have a long history of confusing and irritating their customers. Although it has moderated its bad habits, through the 1980s and 1990s Apple would routinely lower prices or discontinue Macintosh models right after selling them at full price to a boatload of folks, and their first laptops had considerable problems. Microsoft, on the other hand, has had issues with “vaporware” (programs and updates that do not materialize on time, or at all), and they have dropped features and changed capabilities with little or no advance warning.

In the latest version of its Office suite, which is Office 2007 for PCs and Office 2008 for Mac, the company changed the default file type of its ubiquitous Word program to an OpenXML format called docx. Of course, in true Microsoft fashion, the docx format is not only incompatible with most other word processors; it is incompatible with older version of the company”s own software. This means most users, Mac and PC, will have to jump through at least one hoop to deal with this new format if they do not have the newest Office and receive documents from those who do.

The freebie method

Fortunately, the Internet is full of people who love dinking and dorking around with “geek level” stuff, so there are already a raft of free docx converters that will make doc files out of docx ones. A quick search engine foray will uncover literally hundreds of them. However, they work in myriad ways. Some only let you open the docx files, with no editing possible, while others are plug-ins to competing word processors that allow opening and re-saving in alternative formats.

Many of the tools convert the docx files into a generic file format, such as rtf (Rich Text Format), so that the file can be opened by even the most basic text editors - such as TextEdit and SimpleText on the Mac, and Notepad and WordPad on PC. The Internet-centric html (HyperText Markup Language) format is also a target file format for some of these “save as another type” converters. Although they will do a decent job, there are some issues to be aware of.

Conversion aversion

Users should remember that there are some possible shortcomings of html conversion and they may lose some of the original document”s formatting. Although basic formatting like bold, underlines and italics are normally supported in newer versions, some other formatting and a range of special characters may not convert properly. The rtf format is the more versatile conversion “target format” and will produce documents virtually identical to originals in most cases.

A simple and trusted way to deal with these issues is to download the MS Word Viewer application from the Microsoft Web site. It is a small program and has no editing capabilities. A better choice may be the Open XML add-on for older versions of MS Office, although there have been a number of irritating glitches reported. Fortunately, there are still other (and still free) ways of dealing with this matter. Open source to the rescue!

OpenOffice opens Office files

Over the last few years, many people have left the Microsoft fold and moved to open source software for both Macs and PCs. The free OpenOffice suite opens docx files without plug-ins, add-ons, extra steps or conversion worries. This works with the Linux version of the program, too. It may be, however, that Mac users have the most choices in this situation, as there are multiple ways of solving the docx conundrum on Apple computers.

As stated above, users of the Mac MS Office suite can get the Open XML plug-in from the MS Office Web site, or download the MS Word viewer free of charge. Mac users also have the choice of using the OpenOffice program, as well as the Mac iWork application Pages, for which there are many add-ons and “widgets” that can convert docx files to doc format with little or no loss of content or formatting.

Final thoughts

The leading layout programs, QuarkXPress and InDesign, have both distributed conversion plug-ins to handle accurate import of docx files. At first, these were prone to formatting glitches, too, but are now considered stable, according to the consensus of users on the software forums. This is a rather roundabout way of accomplishing a conversion, but if you have no other way, it is good to know about. You can also export files in various formats from these applications.

If, for some reason, you don”t want to use OpenOffice or upgrade your MS Office application, you can stick with the standalone or plug-in converters. Do a little testing to see how the documents you generally use-with or without pictures, tables, columns, etc.-come out after a conversion with the various alternative methods. If nothing is working for you as well as you require, you can always ask that the person sending you the file save it in doc format for you. However, for ongoing compatibility, you should work out a good, solid conversion method that will not waste your time or cause you any more stress than you already have.

Panergy is a leading developer of software for the Mac since 1992. Panergy creates a multilingual docx converter software that allows users to gain access to documents created by applications they have not installed in order to improve their development and workflow for Print and Web Publishing.


How to Solve Soduku

By Andrew Collins

  Are you tired of your boring routine? Do you want a challenging game that will really keep you busy for at least a whole day? Perhaps you want a pastime that will really test your logical skills. Then, why not play the Sudoku game.

For those people who still do not have an idea, Sudoku puzzles are number games of about completing a 9 x 9 grid with numbers. The puzzle also has a 3 x 3 block, which should contain numbers from 1 to 9. The numbers however, must appear only once and not more than that.

In a Sudoku puzzle, any number from 1 to 9 must occur once in each row, column and block. At the start of the puzzle, players are already provided with initial set of numbers. It would be great if there were more numbers already filled in. This is because the lesser numbers provided, the harder it is to start the puzzle and finish it.

A person can be a good player of Sudoku by playing and practicing the game correctly. Once a player familiarizes him/herself with the basics of the puzzle, it is expected that he or she can get advanced techniques and hints. These hints are helpful for the player since it can make the puzzle lighter and easier to do.

When Getting Started

As a player, you must ensure that a good Sudoku challenge is available in front of you - may it be a piece of software on your computer or any free Sudoku sites. The following are some of the best hints ever used in completing the Sudoku puzzle.

Scanning the Puzzle

Look at each row, column or block which are already filled with numbers. Know which of the numbers are left to be filled in. You can see the numbers used for each line, column or row and eliminate them from the possibilities. See which numbers do no exist yet vertically and horizontally and you can eliminate the possibilities. As you go along, you can just interchange the choices.

Mark Up your Place

If there are possible numbers remained to be placed in a cell, write them above the cell and return to it again when you have already placed in more numbers. Usually, when more boxes have already been filled in, you can remove other possible numbers in order to have the right number. Slowly but surely you can get the right numbers in. Just be patient, attentive and alert.

Educated and Careful Guessing

Although in some instances, logic can really be a great help. However, in some point, there is nothing wrong with guessing. When you already have filled in all the possible numbers in the box, use the first two hints. In this way, you will have an idea about the possible numbers that you should put in the remaining empty cells.

Put a possible number in an empty cell and begin working on the other empty cells in the puzzle. In some point, you will know if your guess is correct (which is good for you!) or wrong (too bad, try again). However, you must be careful since you are getting close to completing the entire puzzle.

Do Not Be Afraid to Ask Experts

It is known that most expert already know a whole lot about Sudoku - from the techniques, solutions, strategies and hints. Remember, they will not be an expert for no reason. This means that they had already solved different levels of the Sudoku game. Therefore, it will not be difficult for them to explain the hints they used every time they play the Sudoku puzzle.

If you want to look for the simpler hints, there are also books and guides that are being offered in the market. These books and guides are useful especially for the beginners who would want to experience the challenge of the Sudoku. Otherwise, you can always visit any Sudoku website and look for the best hints available.

The Sudoku hints given above are only some of the many hints usually used by most Sudoku players. By carefully following them, it is assured that you can start the game easily and end it successfully. As we exercise our body, we should also exercise our brains, Sudoku is a great way to do just that.

Article Source : Article King Pro - Free Reprints and Distribution

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Printable Sudoku: Things you Should Know

By Andrew Collins

  Sudoku is really the puzzle game that is meant for those individuals who want to play with numbers and logic. Given puzzles with varying difficult level, you might spend the whole day assigning the numbers 1 to 9 in the grid or you may extend your solving activity the next day. You need to have enough patience or else the Sudoku puzzle will make you go nuts.

A typical Sudoku puzzle game is composed of 81 cells which is the product of 9 rows and 9 columns. Furthermore, the puzzle is also divided into 9 sub-grids which contain 3 x 3 cells for each sub-grid. The rule is very simple. At the start of the game, 30 or more cells are initially filled up with the numbers from 1 to 9 (initially filled-up cells varies according to the difficulty level of the puzzle).

All you have to do is to fill up the remaining cells with numbers 1 to 9 to complete the puzzle. However, you need to satisfy the rule that “all numbers should only appear on each column, row, and sub-grid”. For instance, if you place the number 8 on the 4th row and 2nd column of the puzzle, such number should not appear again on that particular row and column. At the same manner, such number should not also appear twice on the sub-grid it is assigned to. Such rule makes the puzzle take some time to be completed.

So how can you access Sudoku puzzles? You can get it only weekend editions of some newspapers and magazines in your locality. If it does not satisfy you, you can surf the Internet and look out for the sites which offers free online play on their Sudoku puzzles.

However, since it will take time solving a single Sudoku puzzle especially if you are just a beginner, it is quite impractical that you do your problem-solving activity in front of your personal computer. In addition, you also want to play the Sudoku game even there is no Internet connectivity or you are outside of your house. In this case, all you need is a printable Sudoku puzzle.

So how can you have a printable Sudoku puzzle? There are thousands of websites which offer free printable Sudoku puzzle. All you have to do is to locate them through search engines and presto! You will be revealed to related sites on Sudoku. Select one, and download a Sudoku puzzle of your choice. After downloading the selected puzzle from the site to your personal computer, you can now print it to produce hard copy of your Sudoku puzzle.

Most of downloadable Sudoku puzzle in these sites are on PDF format so it is important that you have an Acrobat Reader to display the puzzle correctly. In case you do not have an Acrobat Reader, you can download one for free in the Internet.

In case downloading is not your choice yet you want to have free copy of your Sudoku puzzle, there are daily syndication available on several Sudoku websites. All you have to do is to subscribe to those sites free of charge, and they will be sending straight to your e-mail inbox their Sudoku puzzle for the day.

However, they will just be sending you the puzzle for that certain day. In case you want to have more Sudoku puzzles send to you, just visit the Archive section and select the puzzle you want send on your e-mail. After retrieving its contents from your e-mail, you can print it and have the hard copy of your Sudoku puzzle.

Printable Sudoku is relatively advantageous compared to online Sudoku puzzles. Since it is now in hard copy, you can now bring it anywhere you want. You do not have to bring your laptop or have an Internet connectivity just to play Sudoku. You can also produce more hard copies for each of the family members so that all of you will enjoy completing the Sudoku puzzle with fun and teamwork as well.

Have your Sudoku puzzle printed and let everybody learn the game. Not only all of you will have fun, but your patience and problem-solving techniques will develop. Enjoy playing your printed Sudoku puzzle!

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Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 9:25 pm and is filed under technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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