If you were to log in, you'd be able to get more information on your fellow community member.
Sun's StarOffice is capable of reading, editing and generating Word files under Linux. My version came with RH Linux as part of the $30 package which includes the Linux source code, executables, a host of software packages, Linux manuals, user's guide and 90-day online tech support. Not too shabby... Try that with friendly Micro$oft. By the way, StarOffice is a pleasure to use, and it does much more than just word editing. I'm not sure whether SO can be downloaded from the Internet like Linux.