I recently upgraded to WORD 2000 but don't like it (the clipboard "helper window" drives me nuts). If I go back to WORD 97 will I be able to read:
1.documents originally written in 97 but later edited with 2000
2.documents originally written in 2000

I'm not particularly fond of that clipboard thingie either. I've found that if I close it often enough though, Word will say something like "apparently you don't like this window. We've turned it off, but to activate it again, go to blablabla...".

Judging by the fact that Word gives you the option to save files as "word 97-2002" documents, I'd say Word2000 files should be okay in Word97. I've used documents on both versions (on my work and home computer respectively) and haven't had any problems. But I didn't do anything fancy in those documents, so I'm not 100% sure.

JMO, I rather doubt that Word 97 or any upgraded program would recognize the Word 2000 documents but I could be wrong.

When I had a word processing program and I had upgraded to another one of the same, the previous edition of the prgram did not acknowledge the new one and so I could not access the new documents in the old program.

When you want to read Word97 documents with Word95 you need to install a conversion program. But I think Microsoft realised many people would be still be using Word97 when 2000 was released and made sure that 2000-documents have some backward compatibility thingie built in. I have used documents on both versions, so it is possible.

Leau, I had heard that "if you close it enough times" advice before, but tried 11 times with no luck. How many times did you close it?

I just found the following in the Help window: (Hope it helps)

The Clipboard toolbar no longer appears when I copy and paste items.
If you close the Clipboard toolbar three times in a row without using Paste All or any of the item buttons, the Clipboard toolbar will no longer appear automatically. To show the Clipboard toolbar again, point to Toolbars on the View menu, and then click Clipboard. You can also show the Clipboard toolbar again by copying an item two times consecutively.

When you display the Clipboard toolbar manually and then click Paste All or click an individual item, the count is reset. From that point on, the Clipboard toolbar appears automatically again. You can also reset the count by resetting the program tips:

Click the Office Assistant.
If the Assistant isn't showing, click Office Assistant .

Click Options.


On the Options tab, click the Reset my tips button.

Even though the Office Clipboard can be disabled as described, it can come back again when the 'bring back the Office Clipboard' action is done unintentionally. Unless a user has read that help item highlighted by Jar, they'll probably wonder what made the unwanted Clipboard reappear.

It still seems a bit random to me, even when aware of the Office help. I think if the Clipboard is disabled for a particular document, it won't reappear. It may or may not come back for a new document though. Out of interest, play around with saved and new documents and see if you can find a more definite rule than I can

If a search is done about disabling the Office Clipboard, a number of entries come up with information on how to make the option permanent. Unfortunately, most mention a Registry edit. I expect that would do the job OK but unless you're happy about working within the Registry, it might be best not to alter anything. Since many find the Office Clipboard annoying, it's a wonder there isn't a small program somewhere that will toggle the relevant Registry entry to enable/disable it (maybe there is). Personally, I just turn it off without a second thought if it decides to pop up. I suppose there are times when it could actually be useful.

Incidentally, the Office Clipboard can be made to show by pressing 'Ctrl+C' twice rather than highlighting and copying some text twice.

If you have created tables and frames using Word 2000 you will have great difficulty in using, formatting and editing them in Word 97 even if you save them using the save as options which Microsoft supplies.

You may find it worthwhile to push on with Word 2000, especially if you use tables a lot as it has much greater functionality. Also you must consider the potential security dangers you run by using 97 products. There is very little support now for these products and though they can be found on the web now this will obviously decline.

Good Luck.