I've accessed OpenType features in Word 2010 Beta on XP without problems. I haven't tested all of them, mind.

>Do OpenType features in Word 2010 require Windows 7?

No

Word 2010 needs a DSIG table to make OT features work in TrueType-based fonts. An empty one is sufficient, though. (http://typophile.com/node/29770#comment-266702)

I'm using the release version of Word 2010 on XP sp3 (in Parallels). The opentype feature menus are disabled in every font I've tried (including the MS system fonts)

>including the MS system fonts

Most MS fonts (esp those in Windows XP) don't have any features. I would expect Calibri and Gabriola (supplied with Office) to expose the features. I'll point the Office folks over here.

Cheers, Si

I have the beta of Word 2010, running on Vista (yes, laugh). Using Zapfino, the ligatures, old-style numerals and contextual alternates work fine.

Calibri's numeral styles and ligs do, too.

>Word 2010 needs a DSIG table to make OT features work in TrueType-based fonts.

Thanks for mentioning this - it caught me out a few weeks ago. The features actually show up in the preview but not the doc.

Si

A feature that doesn't work reliably or consistently ... doesn't work, period.

This windows ot is really just starting, so I think we all believe it'll become more common and reliable as time goes by, Matthew.

Cheers!

OK, it took me 14 months to figure this out:

If the top of your Word 2010 document window says "Compatibility Mode" — as it will if you open a document created in an earlier version of Word — Word 2010 will disable the OpenType features (to preserve layout compatibility with previous versions).

To fix this, go to File > Info > Convert and upgrade the document to Word 2010 format. Then the OpenType features will activate.