Hello,

when I create an new, empty document in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, it
has a size of several kB.

What exactly is saved into these files (except for what I change by
editing, formatting etc.)? The time of creation? The name of the user
to whom Office is licensed? Information about the operating system? The
license key?

When I have a document from another user, what can I learn about him?
How is it when documents are changed (e.g. on other PCs, with other
Office and Windows versions)?

Thx in advance!

Alexander

Alexander,
Here are some links that shed some light on the subject:
http://addbalance.com/usersguide/metadata.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290945
http://support.microsoft.com/default...EN-US;834427#4

--
Luc Sanders
(MVP - PowerPoint)
"Alexander Erlich" <JRRT0lkien@web.de> schreef in bericht
news:1168681601.928168.168430@l53g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hello,
>
> when I create an new, empty document in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, it
> has a size of several kB.
>
> What exactly is saved into these files (except for what I change by
> editing, formatting etc.)? The time of creation? The name of the user
> to whom Office is licensed? Information about the operating system? The
> license key?
>
> When I have a document from another user, what can I learn about him?
> How is it when documents are changed (e.g. on other PCs, with other
> Office and Windows versions)?
>
> Thx in advance!
>
> Alexander
>

Alexander,
Here are some links that shed some light on the subject:
http://addbalance.com/usersguide/metadata.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290945
http://support.microsoft.com/default...EN-US;834427#4

--
Luc Sanders
(MVP - PowerPoint)
"Alexander Erlich" <JRRT0lkien@web.de> schreef in bericht
news:1168681601.928168.168430@l53g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hello,
>
> when I create an new, empty document in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, it
> has a size of several kB.
>
> What exactly is saved into these files (except for what I change by
> editing, formatting etc.)? The time of creation? The name of the user
> to whom Office is licensed? Information about the operating system? The
> license key?
>
> When I have a document from another user, what can I learn about him?
> How is it when documents are changed (e.g. on other PCs, with other
> Office and Windows versions)?
>
> Thx in advance!
>
> Alexander
>

Hi Luc,

> http://addbalance.com/usersguide/metadata.htm
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290945
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...EN-US;834427#4

I studied as much as I could, but what I did not find out is whether
the licence key of Office (and, possibly, of Windows) are saved. This
is a very crucial information, beacause it decides upon the fact
whether a file gives sufficient information to identify the user who
created it.

Alexander

Hi Luc,

> http://addbalance.com/usersguide/metadata.htm
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290945
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...EN-US;834427#4

I studied as much as I could, but what I did not find out is whether
the licence key of Office (and, possibly, of Windows) are saved. This
is a very crucial information, beacause it decides upon the fact
whether a file gives sufficient information to identify the user who
created it.

Alexander

No, the license number is not saved in there. That would lead to widespread
theft of software.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375




"Alexander Erlich" <JRRT0lkien@web.de> wrote in message
news:1168699796.279690.163800@q2g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> Hi Luc,
>
>> http://addbalance.com/usersguide/metadata.htm
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290945
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...EN-US;834427#4
>
> I studied as much as I could, but what I did not find out is whether
> the licence key of Office (and, possibly, of Windows) are saved. This
> is a very crucial information, beacause it decides upon the fact
> whether a file gives sufficient information to identify the user who
> created it.
>
> Alexander
>

No, the license number is not saved in there. That would lead to widespread
theft of software.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375




"Alexander Erlich" <JRRT0lkien@web.de> wrote in message
news:1168699796.279690.163800@q2g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> Hi Luc,
>
>> http://addbalance.com/usersguide/metadata.htm
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290945
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...EN-US;834427#4
>
> I studied as much as I could, but what I did not find out is whether
> the licence key of Office (and, possibly, of Windows) are saved. This
> is a very crucial information, beacause it decides upon the fact
> whether a file gives sufficient information to identify the user who
> created it.
>
> Alexander
>

What you are asking about is called metadata - information that is stored in
a file but not immediately visible on the screen. Primarily all that is
saved is the file structure, creation date, author, subject - the
information you can see when you go to File/Properies.

In the past additional information, such as the current and previous
document path, last authors, and a GUID for the file. Due to Personally
Identifiable Information (PII) concerns this type of information is no
longer stored in Office documents. IOW, all you can learn about an author of
a document these days is essencially same information you can access by
going to File/Properties. (Note that there are various features, such as
Track Changes, that will include additional information.)

Also note that Word has an option to remove personal information on save so
for some documents there is nothing to learn.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

"Alexander Erlich" <JRRT0lkien@web.de> wrote in message
news:1168681601.928168.168430@l53g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hello,
>
> when I create an new, empty document in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, it
> has a size of several kB.
>
> What exactly is saved into these files (except for what I change by
> editing, formatting etc.)? The time of creation? The name of the user
> to whom Office is licensed? Information about the operating system? The
> license key?
>
> When I have a document from another user, what can I learn about him?
> How is it when documents are changed (e.g. on other PCs, with other
> Office and Windows versions)?
>
> Thx in advance!
>
> Alexander
>

Hello JoAnn,

> No, the license number is not saved in there. That would lead to widespread
> theft of software.

You mean that experts could easily "look up" a serial number from the
files? Yes, I haven't thought about that, this would of course increase
the number of serial numbers available on the internet.

Thank you!

Alexander

What you are asking about is called metadata - information that is stored in
a file but not immediately visible on the screen. Primarily all that is
saved is the file structure, creation date, author, subject - the
information you can see when you go to File/Properies.

In the past additional information, such as the current and previous
document path, last authors, and a GUID for the file. Due to Personally
Identifiable Information (PII) concerns this type of information is no
longer stored in Office documents. IOW, all you can learn about an author of
a document these days is essencially same information you can access by
going to File/Properties. (Note that there are various features, such as
Track Changes, that will include additional information.)

Also note that Word has an option to remove personal information on save so
for some documents there is nothing to learn.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

"Alexander Erlich" <JRRT0lkien@web.de> wrote in message
news:1168681601.928168.168430@l53g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hello,
>
> when I create an new, empty document in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, it
> has a size of several kB.
>
> What exactly is saved into these files (except for what I change by
> editing, formatting etc.)? The time of creation? The name of the user
> to whom Office is licensed? Information about the operating system? The
> license key?
>
> When I have a document from another user, what can I learn about him?
> How is it when documents are changed (e.g. on other PCs, with other
> Office and Windows versions)?
>
> Thx in advance!
>
> Alexander
>

Another question: how comes the file size grows with the saves (even if
the content of the file does not, like when you change the position of
pictures or rewrite text)?

Alexander

Hello JoAnn,

> No, the license number is not saved in there. That would lead to widespread
> theft of software.

You mean that experts could easily "look up" a serial number from the
files? Yes, I haven't thought about that, this would of course increase
the number of serial numbers available on the internet.

Thank you!

Alexander

Another question: how comes the file size grows with the saves (even if
the content of the file does not, like when you change the position of
pictures or rewrite text)?

Alexander

there is a freeware
from microsoft
called something like
"remove hidden data"
or something like that.

it clears out any hidden
data of the file so it you
send it, nothing but the data
will be made available to the
receiver....


"Alexander Erlich" <JRRT0lkien@web.de> wrote in message
news:1168681601.928168.168430@l53g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hello,
>
> when I create an new, empty document in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, it
> has a size of several kB.
>
> What exactly is saved into these files (except for what I change by
> editing, formatting etc.)? The time of creation? The name of the user
> to whom Office is licensed? Information about the operating system? The
> license key?
>
> When I have a document from another user, what can I learn about him?
> How is it when documents are changed (e.g. on other PCs, with other
> Office and Windows versions)?
>
> Thx in advance!
>
> Alexander
>

there is a freeware
from microsoft
called something like
"remove hidden data"
or something like that.

it clears out any hidden
data of the file so it you
send it, nothing but the data
will be made available to the
receiver....


"Alexander Erlich" <JRRT0lkien@web.de> wrote in message
news:1168681601.928168.168430@l53g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hello,
>
> when I create an new, empty document in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, it
> has a size of several kB.
>
> What exactly is saved into these files (except for what I change by
> editing, formatting etc.)? The time of creation? The name of the user
> to whom Office is licensed? Information about the operating system? The
> license key?
>
> When I have a document from another user, what can I learn about him?
> How is it when documents are changed (e.g. on other PCs, with other
> Office and Windows versions)?
>
> Thx in advance!
>
> Alexander
>