OpenOffice won't recognize WPS files

[Falwaeth]

I recently brought a new computer, foolishly without Microsoft Office Works, my favorite word processor. I hoped this would save space and be a good alternative to the processor, but Open Office seems to lack capabilities of opening the WPS file. I've tried multiple different methods to attempt to get them to open, including trying to open with a different route other than my flash drive. No error message pops up when I try to open it, the OpenOffice screen just freezes for a second and never opens the file. I will be very upset if all of my writing is erased. Please help me, thankyou.

[FJCC]

OpenOffice does not support the WPS format but your files have not been erased. I guess your options are to buy MS Works, find a free program that supports WPS or convert your files. There is an on line service that claims to do this http://www.zamzar.com/. I've never used it. If you have many files, that probably isn't practical.
The problem with proprietary file formats is that you can be stuck buying the vendor's software forever.

[RoryOF]

If you still have`access to your old computer, you can save from Works in Doc format, which can be read by OpenOffice. I have used zamzar to convert from one format to another; it is quick and painless. Of course, all format conversions do have a slight risk of loss of some formatting information, but with OpenOffice it is simple to rework a file if that is necessary. I'd go the zamzar route, converting each file as needed; add each time a few of the older files and your whole works will soon be done.

[thomasjk]

Libreoffice supports .wps files. Download here http://www.libreoffice.org/download.