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General discussion

Licensing issues

Mar 2, 2006 10:47PM PST

Is there a contact site, or telephone to call MS to ask specific questions? Gosh, this licensing stuff is like doing your taxes! I have no "intention" of cheating anyone. I purchased retail copy of Office Prof 2003 specifically for our office. Now, we have laptops (3) that need upgrading from 2000. I will gladly pay MS a fee to walk me through that process. Can anyone direct me? Thanks.
niki

Discussion is locked

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Let me make it simple.
Mar 3, 2006 12:27AM PST

You bought one copy. You get to have ONE user for that copy.

Need more users? Buy more copies.

-> Here's where it gets nutty. While Microsoft allows you to install ONE copy on your desktop and laptop, the license is yours and for ONE person, not TWO.

It's very much like a book. You read the book, then your buddy reads the book. You would find it difficult to read the book when your buddy is.

-> Here's a real cost saver. Use Open Office from http://www.openoffice.org You can install it on every machine for free and it makes Word, Excel, PowerPoint files with ease. It also makes PDFs.

Of course I've seen offices that would buy Office 2000 and install it on 20 machines. That's not going to happen with the new versions. The license and activation makes such cheating a thing of the past.

Hope this helps.

In closing if you must pay up, the upgrade versions are a little cheaper.

Bob

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Licensing
Mar 3, 2006 1:56AM PST

Thanks for your input. Hmmm, have to think about your comments. Your suggestion re Open Office - sounds like switching to a totally different program. Right now that seems extreme with unknown potential pitfalls.
niki

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What totally different program?
Mar 3, 2006 2:02AM PST

I didn't write about a totally different program.

Can you tell me what that was?

Bob

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Licensing
Mar 3, 2006 6:24AM PST

Bob - Open Office you recommended sounded like an alternative to Microsoft Office! I didn't have time to study it immediately but that was my impression when I briefly clicked the link to it.

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Please tell if you find it totally different.
Mar 3, 2006 8:24AM PST

At our office we install Open Office first. And use Microsoft Office interchangably. If it was totatlly different, I think we'd have a lot of problems.

Bob