No one is trying to tell you you can't use Word to your heart's content on your own machine. When you send email to another person, though, you can't assume that they're going to have it. Especially not now.
"In fact, I'd hazard a guess that you are in actual fact a minority."
Smartphones that do have email and don't have Microsoft Word are a minority?
How do you figure that? Neither iOS nor Android comes with the ability to view Word documents.
You, as already stated, are missing the point. It has been explained and you continue to miss, or obtuesly ignore the point.
>"Neither iOS nor Android comes with the ability to view Word documents."
Bullshit. iOS can read doc files natively.