"Too many cells" messages on import of Excel files

[Brian Fahrlander <kilroy kamakiriad com>]

   The other day I installed Linux on my friend's computer.  She'd been fighting all the usual demons of 
Windows, and this is my chance to take her to the other side and make life simpler for her. (I'd keep the 
root password and do all the heavy stuff).

   She's a powerhouse.  Working from her own checking account, she makes purchases for the company and gets 
approval at the whim of folks who come in once a year, placing hundreds of temporary workers at hundreds of 
locations. (When both the work and workers are plentiful). This woman amazes me.  She's broken all sorts of 
sales records and grown the place outta three locations.

   But now she wants to bring home the payroll sheets from work (probably Excel 97, knowing my luck, and how everyone in Microsoft has to 
stay recent on their sodtware or they can't communicate).  I'm not sure how "old" a file she can make, but when she loads her 
"current" version, very few of the macros are supported (or SOMETHING) and when she goes to save it she gets a "too many 
rows" message, with very little else to go on.

   I haven't seen any information on how to communicate with contemporary machines; is the '95 version the 
only one in use?  Are there any ways around this?  Maybe there's something we're doing wrong?

   We're using the next-to-most-current release of Gnumeric; it came through Ximian, and when the 1.0 comes 
out, we'll get it from Ximian, too. (Should be kinda soon, right?)

   I would appreciate ANY help you can give me on this; this is really important to me and her.  Not to 
mention the rap that Linux will get from this well-connected woman in the community...

   Thanks!

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Brian Fahrlander                             Linux Zealot, Conservative,
Evansville, IN                                             and Technomad
ICQ 5119262                       http://www.kamakiriad.com/aboutme.html
                                  LinPhone: brian aquila kamakiriad com
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