When I upgrade to iWork '09 will I be able to open my previous .pages files

Question

YsDa have book manuscripts that I want to be able to work on using my iPad which required iWork '09 since none of my exports from version 1.0.2 was not good enough. So I sort of went into panic mode because the DVD drive in my old PowerBook is sort of wonky and I can't upgrade my so beyond 10.4.11 and now what? But as luck would have it I found a new iWork '09 on eBay (the slightest scratch would not allow an install on my persnickety computer) and it was cheap too! It should be here in a couple of days. So now I worry..
Will I be able to open my old pages files up with the new version??? I have several completed books now up on amazon that I would love in the iBooks store, so I need to be able to open those files. And I have two unpublished manuscripts that I would die a thousand deaths over if I cannot open them ever again.
Has anyone ever run into an opening crisis following an upgrade???
M

Answer 1

I currently disagree with your suggestion not to write a large document in Pages. At least, so far, with my version 1.0.2!  My first book was 8x10 and 440 pages long with 27 full page images. No problems there. The trilogy books are each 6x9 and the shortest is 432 with the largest 500 pages. Again, no problems. Not even with exporting to a pdf file for CreateSpace. And with the one book that was 440 pages long, there were over 100 pages of index. Then when I wanted to create a Kindle book with that index cross-referenced AND entirely clickable, there were thousandSSSSSS of links that I created in Pages. Pages being the ONLY app that could handle the sheer volume of that task. I was impressed. I'm still impressed.
My problem is that my computer...a PowerBook 13" that is was only able to have a grand total of 768 MB of RAM (I know...it's laughable...but that is the way it rolls at top speed).  I tried to install more but it wouldn't accept it, being that 1000MB of RAM was it's max and the one chip was soldiered in and I couldn't get it above 768MB. So that's my world. It's limited. And yet, my old Pages and this old computer has done AMAZING things. Actually, amazing,is an understatement.
When I do write, I put placeholders when an image might need to go. The trilogy has an image as a decoration at each chapter. So there are 22 of those in each book too. I originally used low res images to hold that place, but I have one all ready to publish and it has everything in it that it needs and it opens fine.
What I would NOT do is create a gigantic color picture book. I would definitely limit my images. Not only for the sake of being able to open the file, but because it would be too expensive to publish something via CreateSpace in color.
I have tried Libre Office. I was not impressed. Same with Scrivener. Pages has been outperforming them both on all counts. So far. After I try the '09 version, I'll make another assessment of my needs vs software. And I will continue to pray that my little PowerBook will keep running (so far, so good). Even if it's only to use Pages that hasn't been dumbed down and my Photoshop, because it will be a blizzard in you-know-where before I pay Adobe for Photoshop by the month. That just will not happen.
When push does finally come to shove, I will figure out what I'll do then. I'm not even sure I would buy another Mac. There have been too many changes that I don't particularly like enough to pay so much for only to despise. I have always loved Macs because they were Artist friendly. There was so much that could be accomplished using one. They have been worth the expense just to be able to make dreams visible. But now, it seems that the power of the computer is being reduced to that of a cell phone and a tablet and that is just not going in the right direction at all. I am hoping that all changes. Soon.
I've been setting money aside for a new Mac. As the money has accumulated, the Mac's have changed. Not to be what I had wanted though. I am hoping by the time I drop the last dime in the pink piggy there will be a machine that is right for my eclectic purposes. If not, I'll spend a small portion of it on a big PC and spend the rest of it on a cruise.
Thank you all for answering my questions.
Peace.
And say a little prayer that Mac doesn't obliterate the specific needs of artists/musicians/movie makers/writers/animators/and all the others who need more than the bare bones basics to keep us happy.