Daiya,

We can't use WordPerfect any more to search our (thousands of)
WordPerfect files because, with our new network software, WordPerfect
keeps crashing (for reasons no one can figure out). That's why we had
to switch to Word.

The reason I thought Word might be able to search WordPerfect files was
because WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS searched ALL kinds of files -- text,
Word, WordStar, Multi-Mate, you name it. I know this because I just
tried it on the 5.1 program I still keep on my computer. Following the
on-screen prompts, you hit F5, enter the directory name, then press 9,
then enter the word or phrase you wanted searched, then press 6 to
preview each hit. (The fact that you expressed surprise shows how much
our expectations have been lowered. We just don't expect programs to
do what was a matter of course in 1988.) This feature was great in the
old pre-network days when I kept all my files in the same directory.
Unfortunately 5.1 does not search within subfolders, so we can't use it
for searching the network drive.

As for whether WordPerfect 10 (the version we were using) could search
for other file types, I don't know (because it keeps crashing).

As noted, Google Desktop doesn't search WordPerfect files. So you see
the quandary we're in. Any help would be appreciated.