Having the ability to open .doc(x) files IS standard, Microsoft Word is not. Lucky we got OpenOffice, LibreOffice, AbiSource and tons of other open source, freeware, shareware, commercial off the shelf software to open .doc(x) on every imaginable platform.
EDIT: I prefer text, because I am a vimmer, but accept opening (and often sending) .docx is a part of the requirements that I can't control.
Having the ability to open .doc(x) files IS standard, Microsoft Word is not. Lucky we got OpenOffice, LibreOffice, AbiSource and tons of other open source, freeware, shareware, commercial off the shelf software to open .doc(x) on every imaginable platform.
EDIT: I prefer text, because I am a vimmer, but accept opening (and often sending) .docx is a part of the requirements that I can't control.