How can I convert a compressed postscript file into something I can read?

If it is compressed postscript, it will probably have a ".psz" extension on the file name. You can uncompress the file using InfoZip: http://www.info-zip.org/

The will create the file with a plain ".ps" extension.

Postscript files can be read with any postscript reader, such as GSView:

http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/

Although your answerer is correct in what he says about postscript files and what to do with them, there are a couple of alternatives you can try.

1. You can convert Postscript files to the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) using the Adobe Acrobat product. This can be downloaded from the following website and I think you will be able to convert it into a readable document. That might explain why you cant open files you found after a search either.

http://acrobat.downloadzfree.com/index.asp?s=gous&...

2.You say you compiled a letter on your friend's computer. I'm wondering what software package you were using at the time. If you check the file you have on the floppy and its got an extension like".doc" or ".wps" or even ".txt" it may mean that you compiled the letter using a programme called MS Works or MS Word or something similar. The fact you can't open it and it comes up with "symbols" or "funny writing" might indicate that you do not have that particular programme installed on you computer to open the file. Check with your friend's computer what type of programme you used to compile the letter and maybe he coulsd give you a copy of the software which was on his own PC.

Hope that helps.

This is a safe link where you can download winrar for free here http://bit.ly/1v2nWkq

You can use winrar to unzip zip files (or to open compressed folder). 7zip or winzip are other softwares you can use for the same purpose but winrar is by far the best one. All these programs work in a very similar way: you just have to right click the file to zip or unzip any folders or files.

If you don't want a trial version don't worry. The trial period of winrar never ends so you can use it for free with no limitations.

With WINRAR you will be able to open all the type of compressed folder like file .zip, .rar, .7z, .7zip .iso, .tar, .jar etc... that's the main reason why I recommend it.

Depending on the compression you can't you would have to find out what they used to compress the file in the first place, in order for you to re compress it back. or to find a programe that exceps that file type to read it.