File Permissions, etc

[cbirds]

Hello all,
I am having a real dilemma with a person with whom I must share files.
He is using OS 10.2.8 and has never run permissions and doesn't keep 
the computer on for the most part, at night.

Even when I send a .cwk file he is unable to, by using any of the three 
or four methods I describe, choose an application with which to open 
the file.

It would seem to me that getting a .cwk file from the very same kind of 
computer would be a no-brainer for the Mac and that the association 
would be made.

We also tried to find Disk Utility in the Utilities folder so he could 
run permissions but that was no where to be found. (He has not moved 
anything he says)

In addition, doing a search Everywhere for files whose names contain 
Disk in them, produced not one file! (On my machine produced 209 files)

What on earth could be wrong? What am I overlooking?
Thanks for any insights.
-J