Switcher...

[Charles Martin]

> From: Pat D. Stephens <patdart at cox-internet.com>
>
> I have a friend who is seriously thinking of switching.  But, I tried
> to open her backup CD to find and print a Word document for her and it
> tells me that the iBook cannot read the CD.  It gave me three choices,
> ignore, cancel or initialize.  I knew it was her only backup, so I just
> ejected it.  Is there a way for me to get my Word to find and read her
> Word?  If so, how?

Without knowing more about her machine and yours, it's hard to guess. 
But I'll stick my neck out and guess that she's using some kind of 
"packet-writing" CD program that lets her use the CD as "a big floppy." 
That is to say that you can put things on, take things off, etc.

My father uses the same system and it drives me and his PC coworkers 
crazy, because ONLY his machine can read the CDs it produces! Even 
other PCs choke on it.

The solution if this is the case (I think the software used is called 
something like EZ CD Creator) is to have your friend "close" the disc 
(ie make it permanent) BEFORE she gives it to you.

_Chas_

"We fundamentally believe that most people are honest. The illegal file 
sharing services have prospered because there has been no elegant legal 
alternatives. We think if you give people great value, a really good 
selection of music, and fast, good-quality downloads, they will use the 
service in preference to the illegal ones." -- Peter Lowe, iTunes 
Product Manager