__________Information Policy Committee documents ____

_______prepared by Chris Evans__________

I have put together a few sample HTML files covering the questions of file format compatibility together with the Word 6 for Windows files from which they came. Each of the Word files should print as a single sheet of A4 for information. These are currently in their first drafts and being reviewed by the members of the Information Policy Committee and by the staff of the Computer Unit. All faults, infelicities etc. in the current documents are entirely my own since I'm the only one who's contributed to them so far (except for a bit of flagrant plagiarism in the document on graphics formats leaning on Mark Cannell's early document on the file format issue circulated to the I.P.C. This has been plagiarised on the basis that mimincry is the sincerest form of compliment).

I would much appreciate feedback on the documents which will be collated and forwarded to Stephen Morris, head of the Computer Unit, and to the next meeting of the I.P.C. Feedback would be most appreciated by Email to: me [if your HTML browser doesn't support "mailto:" then use a mail package and send to: C.Evans@sghms.ac.uk]

The HTML documents are:

• the "top level" document on the general problem of file formats
• File formats, makes of computer and operating systems
• Word processor file formats and file conversion
• Spreadsheet and database file formats and file conversion
• Statistical dataset formats and file conversion
• Graphics formats and conversion

The Word 6 for Windows files are as follows (I believe these should be readable on Macs with Word 6 too)

• the "top level" document on the general problem of file formats
• File formats, makes of computer and operating systems
• Word processor file formats and file conversion
• Spreadsheet and database file formats and file conversion
• Statistical dataset formats and file conversion
• Graphics formats and conversion

In the spirit of file compatibility and accessibility, these files have also been saved from Word 6 in both WordPerfect 5.1 format and in plain old ASCII. It is not recommended that either of these be used except in a last resort. The WordPerfect 5.1 files are as follows.

• the "top level" document on the general problem of file formats
• File formats, makes of computer and operating systems
• Word processor file formats and file conversion
• Spreadsheet and database file formats and file conversion
• Statistical dataset formats and file conversion
• Graphics formats and conversion

And the ASCII files are:

• the "top level" document on the general problem of file formats
• File formats, makes of computer and operating systems
• Word processor file formats and file conversion
• Spreadsheet and database file formats and file conversion
• Statistical dataset formats and file conversion
• Graphics formats and conversion