The first tip should help anyone who has ever had trouble opening a document sent to them by someone else. If that person has a newer version of Microsoft Office than you do and forgot to save down to an older version, then you will not be able to open the file. Uh-oh! Looks like you're going to have to ask for a different version of the file, right? Wrong!
Google has a new service called Google Docs (docs.google.com) that can save you from looking like some un-tech-savvy schmoe who can't even be bothered to upgrade to the newest word processing software. This is a web-based word processing service, allowing you to upload files of numerous file types, edit them online, and save them to your computer's hard drive in your choice of formats - .doc, .pdf, .rtf, and many more.
Obviously, this is still pretty new. It's nice because it accepts several different formats, and it's free. Also, it will automatically save your files every few minutes. And, since your documents are stored on Google's servers, you can access the files from anywhere with an internet connection. However, it's not nearly as functional as traditional word processing software - the interface feels more like a website still than a word processor. If you need a quick fix for an unsupported file type though, this might just save your life. Or job. OK, maybe all it will save you is a few minutes work, but that's still pretty useful.
The second tip has to do with filling out PDF forms on your computer, and is specifically for mac users. I have to fill out PDF forms fairly often, and I am always frustrated when Adobe Reader won't save the data I fill out into the form. Every time I open the form, I have to start from scratch and fill out everything again. However, if you open the PDF using Apple's free preview software (the software that comes with you computer), you can fill out the forms AND save all the data in them! And to think, Adobe wants you to pay for their upgrade in order to do this.
