Opening or Converting WordPerfect Files
Many faculty and staff members of the law school use Corel WordPerfect as their word processing software. This practice is rooted in the pervasiveness of WordPerfect 5.1 in legal and academic settings before Microsoft Windows became the default desktop operating system in most schools and offices. Subsequent versions of WordPefect preserved the most useful features of WordPerfect 5.1: the reveal codes feature, which lets one easily determine formatting codes and change them when needed; easy insertion of symbols in the text; and an easy to program macro language.
Nearly all law students here at Duke use Microsoft Word as their word processing software. Indeed, Word commands nearly all the market for this software. Students may find that their Word copy will not convert a WordPefect document which they may need to read. Computing Services suggests these solutions to the problem.
Windows Users: Add the Word Converter Pack
If you are using MS Word 2007 or 2003, it includes the ability to convert WordPerfect files. Follow our instructions to install the converter pack.
Windows Users: Install WordPerfect X3
The law school has licensed copies for student, faculty, and staff personal use. Download the CD-ROM image file from the Computing Services software download page. Burn a CD from the image using Nero or Easy CD Creator.
Windows Users: Install OpenOffice
OpenOffice is an open source suite that can read Word documents and converts WordPerfect documents more accurately than does MS Word. Download it from the OpenOffice web site.
Macintosh Users: Install NeoOffice
There is no version of WordPerfect currently made for Mac. NeoOffice is a version of OpenOffice for Macs, and it can open WordPerfect documents. Download it from the NeoOffice web site.
