Subj : Re: How much should I charge for fixed-price software contract? To : comp.programming From : blmblm Date : Mon Aug 22 2005 11:36 am In article <0001HW.BF2E286E00469427F0407550@news.verizon.net>, Randy Howard wrote: >blmblm@myrealbox.com wrote >(in article <3mqdceF17or2cU2@individual.net>): > >>> True, yet another argument for exporting to PDF and sending that >>> instead. >> >> If only I could convince all the people who send me Word files to go >> that route. > >Indeed. The problem is it is more difficult to teach office >users how to do it, since it's not built into the office suite >like it is with OpenOffice. You can do hackish things like >install a "PDF Printer" in Windows, then "print" to it, which >will actually save a .pdf file on their hard drive somewhere, >which they then have to find and mail to you for example. You mean that's not more or less how they're sending me those Word (and Excel, and PowerPoint) files -- doing something that says "attach this file" and then pointing and clicking their way through a file selection dialog? (I actually don't know -- I'm not very adept with Windows and its commonly-used applications.) However, it's interesting to hear that there's a PDF printer driver in Windows. I only knew about PostScript drivers. But Googling .... yes, how interesting. >Or >they can buy one of several commercial snap-ins to do something >more like the OpenOffice solution. It might not be worth it. > >;-) Well, that ("might not be worth it") is why I said "if only I could" rather than "I should try to". First you have to explain to them why anyone would have a problem with files in MS Office formats .... Was that you that also mentioned recently that as one gets older one realizes the wisdom of choosing one's battles? -- | B. L. Massingill | ObDisclaimer: I don't speak for my employers; they return the favor. .