If it’s lunch time, I’ve already seen three kids who can’t open their files on the computers in the tech lab. Occasionally the problem originates between the keyboard and the chair, but more often it’s down to that old culprit: proprietary file formats. The most common offenders these days are:
- iWork: no licenses in our lab
- Office 2007: Oh, how that name mocks Mac users
- MS Works: Yes, they still make it.
Zamzar to the rescue. Zamzar offers a clean, simple interface that allows you to upload a document, pick a format to convert it into, enter an email address, and submit. Following a short wait, a link drops into your email, and you can download the freshly converted file to your desktop.
Zamzar works with the new Office 2007 XML format as well, so Mac users rejoice: you can get usable copies of .docx and .pptx files without installing Microsoft’s 100MB beta conversion application. It even claims to handle .xlsx, which the official application inexplicably ignores.
The site goes further still, offering audio and video conversion (up to 100MB), all without installing any software.
On a note of caution, Zamzar is a magic black box, so it’s pretty difficult to know what’s happening to your data once they get it. The have a privacy agreement and a data policy, but sending your bank statements, list of passwords, or embarrassing video might prove bad ideas. Also, since they get your email, you’re almost certainly going to hear from them–and anyone that they choose to share your address with. There’s nothing obviously sinister here, but, as always, it’s worth being a little careful.
