Open Old Files

Every format it opens

Tested against sample and real files, and against LibreOffice. "Good" means text, layout and numbers come through; "Fair" means the content is all there but some styling is simplified.

Microsoft Works

EndingWhat it isVersionsComes through
.wpsWorks word processorWorks 2 to 9, DOS and WindowsGood
.wdbWorks databaseWorks 2 to 9; fields come out as columnsGood
.wksWorks spreadsheetWorks 2 to 6Good
.xlrWorks spreadsheetWorks 7 to 9Good

AppleWorks and ClarisWorks

EndingWhat it isVersionsComes through
.cwkWord processing, spreadsheet, database, drawing, painting, presentationClarisWorks 1 to AppleWorks 6, Mac and WindowsGood
.cwsClarisWorks stationery (templates)Opened like any other ClarisWorks fileGood

WordPerfect

EndingWhat it isVersionsComes through
.wpd .wp .wp5 .wp6WordPerfect documentsWordPerfect 4.2 to X9 for DOS and Windows, and 1 to 3.5 for MacGood
.wpgWordPerfect GraphicsAlso the pictures inside WordPerfect documentsFair

Spreadsheets

EndingWhat it isVersionsComes through
.wk1 .wk3 .wk4 .123Lotus 1-2-3DOS and Windows versions; several sheets per fileGood
.wq1 .wq2 .wb1 .wb2 .wb3 .qpwQuattro ProDOS and Windows versionsGood

Other Windows and DOS documents

EndingWhat it isVersionsComes through
.wriWindows WriteThe Windows 3.x word processorGood
.docWord for DOSWord 4 to 6 for DOSFair

Classic Mac

EndingWhat it isVersionsComes through
often noneMacWrite, MacWrite II and Pro, WriteNow, Word for Mac 1 to 5, Nisus WriterPlus Works for Mac, GreatWorks, BeagleWorks, FullWrite and moreGood
often noneMacDraw, MacDraw II and Pro, ClarisDraw, MacPaint, SuperPaint, CanvasDrawings and paintingsFair

Also recognised

Some old files open even though they aren't listed above: Acta, DocMaker, eDOC, LightWayText, MindWrite, More, RagTime 2 to 3, Wingz, Claris Resolve, Multiplan, Pocket Word, PowerPoint 1 to 4 for Mac and older PowerPoint for Windows, and plain text. Files from WPS Office (Kingsoft) with a .wps ending are recognised and you're told how to open them. Works 7 to 9 spreadsheets (.xlr) and Excel 97 to 2003 workbooks (.xls) are read with SheetJS.

Not yet

Apple Pages, Numbers and Keynote '09 files, Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXPress, FileMaker and Microsoft Publisher (for Publisher, see Rescue Pub Files). Charts inside spreadsheets aren't drawn, though their numbers are all there.