I recently installed Word 2007 on my laptop and I have this same issue. When
a student sends me an attachment in Word 2007, and I click on the attachment
to open it, it opens in Wordpad and it is just a bunch of jumbled language.
If I save the file, then try to open it, the same thing happens. I have to
open Word 2007 then select "Open", and find the file. Then the document opens
correctly. I also do not have the same problem with my school issued Macbook
that has MacOffice.