OT: Cheapest Way To Get MS Excel & Access 2007?

[(PeteCresswell)]

I'm doing a project for somebody who needs the app done in Access
2007 and is sending me .CSV and tab-delim files with more than
255 columns.

I've got Office 2007 on another PC at another job site and I've
been connecting to it to do what needs tb done so far.

But it seems like it's time to bite the bullet and pony up some
hard-earned cash so I can have those two apps on my home
developer box.

In the past, I haven't been averse to buying whole MSDN bundle -
but that was back in the days when they sent a box of DVDs.

Bottom line: is there an el-cheapo way to get Excel and Access
2007? Or should I just get the whole enchilada?

 

[Ken Springer]

On 9/9/11 9:19 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:

Bottom line: is there an el-cheapo way to get Excel and Access
2007? Or should I just get the whole enchilada?

I don't know how much time you have to experiment, but there are other
office products that have different degrees of Office compatibility.
Some commercial, some open source.

I use LibreOffice as you can see from my signature below, but I am not a
database user, so I have no idea as to the compatibility with Access
databases.


--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 6.0.2
Thunderbird 6.0.2
LibreOffice 3.3.3

 

[Nil]

I use LibreOffice as you can see from my signature below, but I am
not a database user, so I have no idea as to the compatibility
with Access databases.

I think the inter-operability between LibreOffice/OpenOffice and MS
Access is minimal. It can read Access data files (via ODBC), but the
databases only. It can't deal with any of Access's scripting or
programming features, so it wouldn't be useful for working on projects
written in Access.

Base can read or import CSV and tab-delimited files, so if that's all
the OP needs, that it might be a good cheap solution.

 

[Ken Springer]

I think the inter-operability between LibreOffice/OpenOffice and MS
Access is minimal. It can read Access data files (via ODBC), but the
databases only. It can't deal with any of Access's scripting or
programming features, so it wouldn't be useful for working on projects
written in Access.

Base can read or import CSV and tab-delimited files, so if that's all
the OP needs, that it might be a good cheap solution.

I forgot to mention, that LO also has problems with the .???x file
formats. And I've heard that even Office has problems there too. I
have 2007, but don't use it.


--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 6.0.2
Thunderbird 6.0.2
LibreOffice 3.3.3

 

[Ken Springer]

A quick look at Ebay shows that Office Professional 2007 (which they
say includes Access) can be had for less than $100.

Professional does include Access.


--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 6.0.2
Thunderbird 6.0.2
LibreOffice 3.3.3

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Kirk Bubul:

A quick look at Ebay shows that Office Professional 2007 (which they
say includes Access) can be had for less than $100.

Does the product "Phone Home"?..... i.e. does it check against a
server somewhere to see of the same product unique ID is
installed elsewhere?

Nero 7 does this - and it's a recurring hassle every time one
re-images their PC, or moves up to a new PC.

I see some "Like New" offers.... but there would seem tb that
potential problem - aggravated by the product's actually being
installed on somebody else's PC.

 

[SC Tom]

Per Kirk Bubul:

Does the product "Phone Home"?..... i.e. does it check against a
server somewhere to see of the same product unique ID is
installed elsewhere?

Nero 7 does this - and it's a recurring hassle every time one
re-images their PC, or moves up to a new PC.

I see some "Like New" offers.... but there would seem tb that
potential problem - aggravated by the product's actually being
installed on somebody else's PC.

If it's done as a local install and not a network install, it doesn't phone home. I have OP2007 on my home PC as a
left-over from when we had it at work (legally installed and owned). Way back when, I used Word, Excel, Access, and
Power Point, but have since uninstalled all but Word and Excel. I was allowed to keep mine after retirement since the
company by then was upgrading to Office 2010 (I think that's the version).

I've never used these people, but the price is pretty decent for an Office suite:

http://www.mssavestore.info/office-professional-2007-p-27.html

 

[Al Sparber]

You can get a cracked version from the internet. I suggest Google for
"Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007" or let me know so that #I can send
you a copy.

I specialize in cracking Microsoft and Adobe software and they work
pretty well so far.

Hope this helps.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per SC Tom:

I've never used these people, but the price is pretty decent for an Office suite:

http://www.mssavestore.info/office-professional-2007-p-27.html

I gave them a try, but their ordering screen/process was
suspiciously wanting. Finally gave up.

But thanks for the link - bc now I know it really is available
for under a hundred bucks and I'll find one somewhere.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Al Sparber:

You can get a cracked version from the internet. I suggest Google for
"Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007" or let me know so that #I can send
you a copy.

I specialize in cracking Microsoft and Adobe software and they work
pretty well so far.

Thanks for the offer, but for a hundred bucks, I might as well
play by the rules.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per (PeteCresswell):

Bottom line: is there an el-cheapo way to get Excel and Access
2007?

I'm finding that this is not the no-brainer I expected it to be.

Downloadable versions of software seems tb a fertile field for
scammers.

e.g. http://forums.cnet.com/7723-12543_102-386582.html

 

[Ken Springer]

Per Al Sparber:

Thanks for the offer, but for a hundred bucks, I might as well
play by the rules.

Since you want to play by the rules, on average I've found
http://www.nextag.com to find me the best prices. A lot of times, it
pulls in the items from Amazon. But you have to watch out for OEM
versions and such, so read carefully and talk to the vendor.

I have absolutely no respect for people who crack software. I have a
niece whose husband will do that, and I'd like to hang him by his male
parts. People who do this are just plain thieves, that's all there is
to it.

--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 6.0.2
Thunderbird 6.0.2
LibreOffice 3.3.3

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

I'm doing a project for somebody who needs the app done in Access
2007 and is sending me .CSV and tab-delim files with more than
255 columns.

I've got Office 2007 on another PC at another job site and I've
been connecting to it to do what needs tb done so far.

But it seems like it's time to bite the bullet and pony up some
hard-earned cash so I can have those two apps on my home
developer box.

In the past, I haven't been averse to buying whole MSDN bundle -
but that was back in the days when they sent a box of DVDs.

Bottom line: is there an el-cheapo way to get Excel and Access
2007? Or should I just get the whole enchilada?

My opinion on MS Office...
I really, really don't like anything newer than Office 2003.
My new company laptop (win 7) had Office 2010 on it and I
quickly found out why MS was selling the entire suite
for $5 USD. It was a terrible, unfathomable mess.
I don't care about fancy aero icons and spacey looks,
so I wiped it and went back to Office 2003.
All is well.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Paul in Houston TX:

My opinion on MS Office...
I really, really don't like anything newer than Office 2003.
My new company laptop (win 7) had Office 2010 on it and I
quickly found out why MS was selling the entire suite
for $5 USD. It was a terrible, unfathomable mess.

I agree 100%. I've got bond traders that live and die by Excel
- who tell me "If your proposed solution involves me having to
use Excel 2007, just forget it."

MS seems to move the furniture around in every new version for no
apparent reason, but in Excel 2007 it's especially egregious.

I want to get a copy of Office 2007 for two reasons:

- Convenience: Excel does more than 255 columns.

- Necessity: My current client has specified that the
Access application I write must run under 2007.

 

[Mayayana]

| If it's done as a local install and not a network install, it doesn't
phone home. I have OP2007 on my home PC as a
| left-over from when we had it at work (legally installed and owned). Way
back when, I used Word, Excel, Access, and
| Power Point, but have since uninstalled all but Word and Excel. I was
allowed to keep mine after retirement since the
| company by then was upgrading to Office 2010 (I think that's the version).
|

It sounds like you have a business copy. In that
scenario a business often pays for X number of
licenses and then that number of people are allowed
to install the software from master CDs. Those versions
don't have product activation. Microsoft relies on
the Business Software Alliance to enforce those deals:

http://news.cnet.com/2008-1082_3-5065859.html

Most retail MS software has been product-activation
crippleware since about 2000. That involves calling home
with the product key. As with XP, you can't just reuse
MS Office product keys.

The cheapest way to buy MS Office would be the
OEM version. (Ebay is surely cheaper, but then one
also takes a chance that the product is not legally
salable.) OEM versions are legal but, as with Windows,
they can only be installed to one motherboard. Once
they key is used on a PC it can only be reused -- at
least in theory -- on a matching PC. That's often an
economical solution, but one takes a chance: If your
PC dies a week after paying $200 for OEM Office (or
OEM Windows, for that matter) and you then buy a
new PC, then you've lost that $200. As far as MS is
concerned the software was not licensed to you, but
rather was licensed to a square piece of fiberglass that
is now deceased... which is mickey mouse and probably
not legal, but MS has been clever enough to enforce
their claims passively, with Product Activation.

If it were me I'd at least *try* OpenOffice/LibreOffice
before paying such an absurd price for the MS crippleware
version.

An interesting related point: I was recently in Staples
and noticed that an OEM key card was *much* cheaper
than MS Office 2010. It's actually competitive pricing to
buy a low-budget PC with an MS Office trialware install
on it, and then buy a keycard to activate it, vs. buying
the actual MS Office CD!