The Problem:
Word keeps capitalizing words even though I'm trying to type them as lowercase. This makes it hard to create lists, write poetry, or use acronyms. I much prefer to make the choices myself rather than have Word make them for me.
The Solution:
And make the choices yourself you can; you just need to reclaim a little autonomy from AutoCorrect. More immediately, you can press Ctrl+Z or choose Edit » Undo to undo any unwanted change that AutoCorrect has applied.
To change Word's behavior, choose Tools » AutoCorrect Options (or Tools » AutoCorrect in Word 2000) and uncheck the "Capitalize first letter of sentences" box and the "Capitalize first letter of table cells" box (in Word 2003 and Word XP, but not in Word 2000).
If necessary, uncheck the "Capitalize names of days" box as well; most people find this automatic correction unobjectionable, but your poems may disagree.
Scan down the list of "Replace text as you type" entries and delete any acronyms (or other entries) that you don't want to use.
Escape Unwanted Copyright Symbols
The Problem:
Every time I type (c) in my document, Word changes it to a copyright symbol. (a), (b), and (d) are fine.
The Solution:
This is a built-in AutoCorrect entry intended to help you insert the copyright symbol easily. Similarly, (r) produces a registration symbol, , and (tm) produces a trademark symbol, ™.
To prevent Word from doing this, choose Tools » AutoCorrect Options (or Tools » AutoCorrect in Word 2000). On the AutoCorrect tab, click the (c) entry to load it in the Replace box and the copyright symbol in the With box, and then click the Delete button. If you'd still like to be able to enter the copyright symbol via AutoCorrect, type your preferred entry in the Replace box (the copyright symbol will stay loaded in the With box) and click the Add button. Click the OK button to close the AutoCorrect dialog box.
