Docx

The .docx extension created by Microsoft Office represents the Office Open XML format, which is a new open Ecma International standard document format. It was forced on users with the release of Microsoft Office 2007. Although Office 2007 can save in the previous Microsoft formats, the typical office user will save with the defaults, resulting in non-backwards compatible .docx files that no one else can open unless they upgrade to the undesirable Office 2007 Suite.

With OpenXML format being the default format in Office 2007, users face a lot of compatibility problems while exchanging documents. If you have Microsoft Office 2003 or earlier installed you can download a compatibility pack available for free from Microsoft.

• Link: Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats

This compatibility pack will enable you to open, print edit, and save .docx files in your existing Office installation.

A docx file basically consists of a bunch of zipped XML documents. You can rename .docx to .zip, then open the file in winzip and see all of the folders and files within the docx archive. The docx file is a container for many files.