System and method for leveraging networked computers to view windows based files on linux platforms

Systems and methods for leveraging resources on a computer network to view a file on a client computer written in a format unreadable by the client computer are provided. According to one method, the client computer receives a file in a source format unreadable by the client computer. The client computer broadcasts the format of the received file to a plurality of File Viewing Servers (FVSs) in the network. In response, the client computer receives from at least one of the FVSs a conversion rating, which indicates the respective FVS's ability to convert the source format of the file into a conversion format readable by the client computer. Upon receiving the conversion ratings from the FVSs, the client computer selects the FVS transmitting the highest conversion rating to convert the received file from the source format unreadable by the client computer into the conversion format readable by the client computer.