Frank T. Clark

Software Systems Design Engineer

HTML versus WORD

(Under construction)

The reason why HTML format files are better compared to DOC format files.

This is an explanation for why I prefer HTML format files to DOC format files.

1. HTML is an industry standard file format whereas DOC is a Microsoft proprietary file format.

2. HTML is a text file format whereas DOC is a binary file format.

3. HTML is fully supported by any standard file diff and source control. DOC has only limited support, if any, as a binary format.

4. HTML is viewable in any industry standard Internet browser including Microsoft Windows Explorer. DOC can only be viewed with some Microsoft proprietary tools and not in Microsoft Windows Explorer.

5. HTML is editable in any industry standard editor including Microsoft Windows Visual Studio. DOC can only be edited with some Microsoft proprietary tools and not in Microsoft Windows Visual Studio.

6. HTML is conceptually simpler. (I suppose some consider this a drawback.)

7. HTML works minimally in any version of software. DOC files suffer numerous version incompatibilities.

8. HTML requires only a handful of commands for most documents.