Try not to get too upset but one of the license systems is to get folk access to the OS and Microsoft Office for much cheaper than if they bought a full license.
I've lost count of folk that think when they buy a PC they get the full license. There are 2 common areas folk flame everyone about.
1. The trial version. Most PCs come loaded with Microsoft Office and it's only good for so many days.
2. The OEM version. There is another license that only works with the original PC. Change the PC's motherboard and the license is no more.
You could try LibreOffice which seems to open, edit most Office files or if you must have Office, go get that.
I want to know what you think here. That is, are licenses too much for everyone to look into and understand? That is, contracts are too rude today?
Bob
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Question
Another Windows Office Activation Problem
22mths ago when I bought my latest pc I was told & I could see it came with Windows7 Home Premium so obviously I imagined I owned the software since I paid a motza for the pc at a supposedly reputable major Aussie electronics chain.
But there were no CDs came with the pc at the time & although I asked why, I never got an answer I was happy with.
Last week all of a sudden my Office Suite stopped working with a box demanding I input a new activation code! I was confused. I hunted around & finally I've come to the conclusion I never owned any software in the first place. I was merely renting it so to speak. }:^/
I am now expected to PAY FOR IT AGAIN because I am being held to ransom so I can regain use of my substantial word doc & Excel library which I use daily.
I can't even access the old docs off my old pc which were transferred to the new pc. I think that is RUDE of MS because I paid dearly for the software on my old XP machine that created those word docs & spread sheets & now I can't even access those docs either. They were created by a paid for earlier version so why would they be affected?
So what can I do? Will I be forced to pay for another activation code?
Discussion is locked
3 Posts
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Answer
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HI Bob, Yes I have read the agreement on 2 separate occasions several years ago. But not recently. I now don't have all day to sit & read a whole heap of legal speak.
I get very confused with this licencing thing. I've owned 3 pcs since I got on the net in 1998-1999 I think it was(& 2 much earlier- a Vic 20 & Commodore 64!). The first 2pcs came with MS discs which I paid for that I then owned. Yes they were 'one use' licences. But I had the disc so I figured I owned them. The earlier one was Windows 2000 Premium (I think) & the second was XP Office Professional.
Then this latest pc which I purchased 22mths ago has W7 & came with no discs other than some sort of basic reboot thing that no-one seems to be able to explain properly to me. The salesman informed me that the basic version of Office, which he called Office Starter, was on the PC & that was the reason it was called Windows Home Premium. If I wanted the more advanced version of Office I would have to buy it separately. I was happy to use the basic version. I did ask him if it was a trial version & he told me no it was mine for ever. The reason I asked that was I had heard rumours & read stuff about Windows wanting to change over to an annual fee for use system.
So I went away happily thinking I had a basic version of Office that I didn't have to update to a better version unless I wanted more frills.
Yesterday I went to the store where I bought this W7 pc & asked 3 people about this & got 3 different answers.
The IT guy told me my pc has a bug in it & I should take it in to them (I paid for 2yrs full service when I purchased the pc) & he would look at it because I should not have to pay again for this Office Home Starter version.
So now I am completely confused {:*?
I read in another thread here about a recent failure by MS where it sent out the wrong updates or something for Office & pc's are seeing it as malware & it's causing problems. There has since been a correct update sent but people have to manually delete the old update & install the new one. Sorry I was on my way to find it when I saw I had a reply on this thread.
Bob can you remember that problem with Windows about 2wks ago I think it was.
Is it possible that's what the issue is here?
Re Libre:- I got it but it won't open the word docs. That's what I find so strange about all of this. I have previously had other freewares on the older pc's & they all opened Windows word docs & excel files. Now nothing opens them.
Is there a way to attach a file to these posts? I would like to make a screen print so people can see what it looks like when I want to open a doc.
cheers & thanks Bob
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I agree the licensing has become too long to read. I know the short versions about trials and OEM and there is a story about updates and failed licenses so here goes.
http://social.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/945285a7-a227-4a39-ac97-c5719a83db2e/valid-license-invalidated dives into the VLK (a license key) that folk might have that "suddenly" fails due to a MSFT update. This is never a problem as the license is fixable by getting back with your company IT for the new key.
HOWEVER sometimes it leaks onto the internet or some shop installs an "Enterprise" version then that gets invalidated. So it's true that Microsoft can invalidate license.
It's also true that malware can do that.
Bob
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