Appleworks USB Incompatibility I am running OS X 10-6.8 on a 2007 iMac and have noticed lately, that whenever I run Appleworks, the USB string seems to be dead.  I have not found a way to re-activate the USB short of Restart.  Is there a better way to get USB working again?

I feel I have to stay with 10.6.8 as I have a ton of documents that don't port easily to other software.  I have not found an integrated word processing/database/drawing program. Nor have I found a set of apps that will talk to one another like Appleworks is able to do.  I know I can buy individual apps such as Word, Filemaker, and some version of a drawing program, the they cost big $$$.

Meanwhile, if I run Appleworks and want to run the scanner or connect my camera, I have to restart or shutdown/restart before the USB devices will work.

kennyS
Appleworks and 10.6.8 was working with USB before, then stopped working, correct? 

These are the trouble-shooting steps I'd go through for your USB problems: 
-- Try backing up and deleting the Appleworks preferences file 
-- Try a different USB Port 
-- Remove USB devices one by one to see of one device is the problem.  -- Try a different USB "string" (cable? / thumb drive?)  
-- Repair Disk Permissions  - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1452 
-- Reset PRAM - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH6478 
-- Update or Reinstall Appleworks