If you are a developer or designer, chances are you have already received a Word document containing a screenshot from a client. You may be frustrated immediately upon receiving the Word document. “Doesn’t the client understand that an image is a file type of its own? It doesn’t need to be contained in anything to travel through cyberspace.”

But step back for a moment and take a look at the situation from the clients point of view. People are introduced to Microsoft Word almost immediately upon learning to use a computer. Talk to a 9 year old and then talk to a 59 year old. Chances are they both have heard of Microsoft Word and probably use it on a regular basis. To the everyday computer user in todays world, Microsoft Word is the default software for any need and any situation. Need to type up a book report or a white paper? Microsoft Word. Need to draw? Microsoft Word. Need to send an image? Microsoft Word.

When you think about it, “the screenshot in the Word document” problem is quite amazing. This one piece of software is used by (or has been used by, at one time) almost every computer user in the world. The software has been used so much that when a user is unsure of what software to use to meet their need, they use this software.

So is it really the clients fault…

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