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General discussion

Downloading free trial version of office 2003

May 31, 2005 10:59AM PDT

My Office 2003 (free trial version)software has expired. I had downloaded the 60 day free trial version last winter after the original version that came on the computer expired. Is the download a one time free trial version? I am trying to download it again.I download the file and when I try to install the software it gives a "fatal error message" after the cab files are done downloading. I have disabled the Norton before downloading but can't get the software installed. Has anyone else had this problem?

Discussion is locked

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Yes. It's an one time deal.
May 31, 2005 12:22PM PDT

You have to wipe the hard disk, install the OS to get another 60 days.

Or you could use what I use?

http://www.openoffice.org

Bob

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Not for school
Jun 1, 2005 12:49AM PDT

I need the Office suite for school. Papers done with the Openoffice are not acceptable, I am doing online classes and the school only uses Office.

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You must try harder.
Jun 1, 2005 12:55AM PDT

I save my document as Word 97 format in Open Office so your response doesn't seem to hold much water. I exchange documents with Microsoft Office users daily.

You are more than welcome to pay up for that Microsoft product.

Bob

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OpenOffice makes compatible files
Jun 1, 2005 4:20AM PDT

If the files, made by OpenOffice:
are named with the same extension as MS Office, and
are compatible with files made with MS Office, and
are open-able with MS office

then, how would 'they' know you were not using MS office?

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If the school insists on using MS Office ...
Jun 1, 2005 8:12AM PDT

they should offer you the possibility to buy the parts needed via school for (far) less money than what you pay for a Student edition in your local computershop by making a collective-contract-deal with Microsoft.

The only reason to do so, in my opinion, would be if they teach how-to-do-this-in-Excel-courses, or treat macro's and other advanced topics. Openoffice is file-compatible with MS Office only, not compatible at command and programming level.

But if all you need to do is send them papers and working math and bookkeeping and biology spreadsheets, they shouldn't mind the program you use to make them as long as you can deliver a format they can read with MS Word, MS Excel or MS Powerpoint, or the corresponding viewer.

Kees