Media Library File Insertion Issues

If I wanted to create a “hot link” that would open a document (word doc. or pdf.)in the older versions of WordPress, I would simply use the “upload” button to get the file into WP, then I would copy and paste the URL of that document into the highlighted text in my post or page, and viola’….the document would open when you clicked the link.

However, I am at a complete and total loss for doing this in WP 2.7.1. I’ve found some support documentation (http://codex.ww.wp.xz.cn/Using_Image_and_File_Attachments) that seems to dance around the subject, but it doesn’t make sense to me. Maybe I’m just stupid, but this seems to be impossible to do now, and it was SO easy before.

Could someone PLEASE explain to me how to get a Word doc. or pdf. file uploaded, and then how to make it open when you click on highlighted text (for example, “Contest Registration Form” would open that form when you clicked on it.)????