MSOffice 2013 EULA ties license to one assembly forever?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

(Can't run a virtual machine under a virtual machine, so I can't go all the way back to DOS 1.0 any more. I can live with that. I can go back to Windows 3.1 software, good enough.)

Mission accomplished...

May I have one of our account managers contact you about upgrading your software....

[Graham]

Originally Posted by frahse

Actually I could have added 2010 to my computer. I bought 3 copies of it for just a little more than 1 copy for another computer, but after I saw it, I declined to put in on my machine. It was only later that I read that it would not have worked on my XP machine.

I'm running Office 2010 perfectly happily on XP, including MS Access, and this is on a Samsung netbook (N130) - pretty low end, though I did double the RAM to 2 GB.

In fact, I'm amazed at how well it runs!

Graham

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Graham

I'm running Office 2010 perfectly happily on XP, including MS Access, and this is on a Samsung netbook (N130) - pretty low end, though I did double the RAM to 2 GB.

In fact, I'm amazed at how well it runs!

Graham

I made the decision not to use 2010 myself without trying it. I only later read the claim that it wouldn't work. I guess the claim was wrong. Perhaps it was really only a recommendation that someone took as gospel.

[Matth79]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Well, I have switched to LibreOffice from OO for the reason you mentioned. But to be fair, Apache (the open source software consortium, not the Mobileread user!) just took OpenOffice over in 2012. It will take them a while recruit new developers (most left for LibreOffice) and then figure out what to do with it, and then actually do it. And to be even MORE fair, OO and LO only really began to diverge in any significant way with the last release of LO. LO is a very good product, but so is OO.

I've also started exploring Linux again. The photography oriented software, with the exception of Gimp, still sort of stink. (And Gimp isn't perfect) But most of the other issues I've had with it before have significantly improved.

I think with Microsoft sort of thrashing about trying to figure out how it fits into our developing new paradigm for end user computing, a window of opportunity is opening for Linux that it hasn't had before. I think Linux is up to the challenge.

Another one worth a look may be Zorin http://zorin-os.com/tour.htm - While not a completely literal 100% Windows clone, it looks more like Windows than Windows 8 does!

Also hope that Reactos will reach full usability before XP goes out of support

[bradhaak]

This thread is partly correct, but not completely. I think this applies to the single computer license, not the five computer annual license that MS added for Office 2013.

I had a free upgrade to Office 2013 and chose the option to install Office on any five computers for $99 per year. This includes word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access and OneNote. Computers can be Mac or PC. You also have access to the latest version of Office.

I have already had to remove it from one computer during an upgrade. I went to the MS website that tracks Office licenses, logged in, and removed it from that computer. Prior to that, I had it installed on three boxes, and had two available. After disabling it on the old computer, I had three licenses available. Then I installed Office 2013 on the replacement computer and was back to two licenses available.

This was done entirely online with no calls to Microsoft.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by ApK

May I have one of our account managers contact you about upgrading your software....

Only if they like rides on a trebuchet....

[teh603]

Originally Posted by bradhaak

I have already had to remove it from one computer during an upgrade. I went to the MS website that tracks Office licenses, logged in, and removed it from that computer. Prior to that, I had it installed on three boxes, and had two available. After disabling it on the old computer, I had three licenses available. Then I installed Office 2013 on the replacement computer and was back to two licenses available.

This was done entirely online with no calls to Microsoft.

So what's to stop a hacker from getting in there, disabling *all* your licenses, and then changing the password?

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by teh603

So what's to stop a hacker from getting in there, disabling *all* your licenses, and then changing the password?

This has been a potential problem ever since online registration started up 15 years or so ago, but it's never been much of a problem. There just is not enough reason to do it beyond revenge. Besides, a company like MS is going to have all that stuff backed up in a way to make it easy to restore appropriate functionality.

I'm not defending Microsoft. As I've said elsewhere, I think their business model is coming to its economic end of life. But registration security is something their system covers reasonably well.

[VydorScope]

Not any more...

Microsoft reverses course, says Office 2013 licenses can now be transferred to new PCs

http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/m...-transferable/

[afv011]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Not any more...

Microsoft reverses course, says Office 2013 licenses can now be transferred to new PCs

http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/m...-transferable/

Yes, saw that in the news this morning. I guess market pressure works after all.

[Fat Abe]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Not any more...

Microsoft reverses course, says Office 2013 licenses can now be transferred to new PCs

http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/m...-transferable/

This still sounds restrictive:

You can't transfer the license more than once every 90 days unless there's a hardware failure, and you still can't have the software on more than one computer at the same time.

Microsoft borrowed this boilerplate language from the Xbox 360 system, a dangerously unreliable game console. Anyway, how can you prove hardware failure?

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Not any more...

Microsoft reverses course, says Office 2013 licenses can now be transferred to new PCs

http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/m...-transferable/

Unfortunately for Microsoft, it doesn't change the fact that most people, even word workers (and other information workers), only use a tiny part of the suite. It really doesn't make economic sense for many people.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Unfortunately for Microsoft, it doesn't change the fact that most people, even word workers (and other information workers), only use a tiny part of the suite. It really doesn't make economic sense for many people.

Of those people I know who use any of the core productivity apps in Microsoft Office, and I know a lot of them, no one has paid close to retail for it.
Without exception, they:
1. Got it cheap or free though work or school.
2. Got it included with a PC
3. Pirated it.

If more people actually had to pay retail, Open Office and LibreOffice would likely be two of the most popular pieces of software in the Windows universe.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Not any more...

Microsoft reverses course, says Office 2013 licenses can now be transferred to new PCs --

As always meaning spins on its head on the word "new."

New?
Just out the box?
Not too old but different.
Pretty damn old and different?
Rebuilt enough to be different -- maybe?

Where are the lawyers when you need them whether you want them or not.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Fat Abe

--- Anyway, how can you prove hardware failure?

Send them the still warm and smoking component carcass.