I run into that all the time, Baz. (The docx thing.) It is nothing new; every time Word updates, there is a new version of .doc. Churlish or not, it has been part of the marketplace forever.

I like also sending PDF, just in case my writer program of choice messed up in its export to .doc.

This extension sounds really great, though. It should help with people who send along .docx files without thinking.

Kevin,

You actually know people/companies who willfully use the .docx extension? Doubtless then, you get others – using yet another WP – sending you .odt files, too?
These individuals and companies are clearly just yanking your (our) chains as they set about to ‘create’ new standards for their correspondence (doubtless using their bright and shiny new WP which uses that as a default), while ignoring the fact that few others have the capabilities or interest in following along.

95% of the documents I receive from companies or individuals (or I’m asked to create for same) are created using Word’s .doc (Word 97/2000/XP) format – regardless of what WP was used to create the document – while the 5% allows for doubt on somebody’s part and are created in .rtf or .pdf, just in case.

Yes, I get that this ‘old’ standard is just that and therefore not as attractive for users and that there might be some security issues involved, too – but for a WP manufacturer to create a new standard more with an eye to impose a market share issue (and therefore profits) over usability seems churlish – if not an enormous waste of time.