License for Home Use

[Calvin Leman]

Microsoft policy allows 3 computers for about $50, for Window Live One Care
on three computers at home, for home use only. This price is competitive with
Norton and with McAfee.

This 3-computer policy does not apply to Windows Vista or to Office 2007.
Microsoft has almost no competition with Vista or with Office. No market
competition, no 3-computer policy. Microsoft does offer a 10% discount on
additional licenses for Vista.

Microsoft policy puts the cost of the operating system for 3 home computers
at about $1000 (shipping and sales tax), rather than about $300. If we add
Office 2007, our cost is nearly $2000 for Vista and for Office on our three
home computers. We are evaluating this policy.

We think Microsoft should evaluate this policy. If we do not buy two more
licenses, Microsoft does not have two more sales.

--
Salmon, Idaho

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http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/co...1a5&dg=microsoft.public.windows.vista.general

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

So what are you trying to say, Antivirus is better than the operating
system? Its about features here my friend. Live OneCare does a few things,
Vista and Office 2007 does many, many, many things. You are paying for
intellectual property and that is "per" machine. If you find the Standard,
SMB, Pro and higher SKUs of Office 2007 expensive, buy the Student and
Teacher edition which allows up to 3 installs.

I believe people still refuse to understand how computers work. Without
software, the machine is basically a shell, regardless of all the pretty
components. The operating system is critical to make your computer function
and thats just a fundamental part of the equation, you to take into account
device driver compatibility, application compatibility, user experience. So,
if Vista and Office cost a lot, thats simply because they deserve to be.

 

[MICHAEL]

I thought all retail versions of Office allowed for two installs.
Technically, on one desktop and one laptop.
That requirement being absurd because it's totally
unenforceable.

I didn't know the Student and Teacher version allowed
for three installs. Are you sure?


-Michael

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

Well, yes, for all retail licenses, but I don't think its concurrent, yes, I
have Student and Teacher 2007, three licenses.

 

[Alias]

Microsoft policy allows 3 computers for about $50, for Window Live One Care
on three computers at home, for home use only. This price is competitive with
Norton and with McAfee.

This 3-computer policy does not apply to Windows Vista or to Office 2007.
Microsoft has almost no competition with Vista or with Office. No market
competition, no 3-computer policy. Microsoft does offer a 10% discount on
additional licenses for Vista.

Microsoft policy puts the cost of the operating system for 3 home computers
at about $1000 (shipping and sales tax), rather than about $300. If we add
Office 2007, our cost is nearly $2000 for Vista and for Office on our three
home computers. We are evaluating this policy.

We think Microsoft should evaluate this policy. If we do not buy two more
licenses, Microsoft does not have two more sales.

We think that you should check out Ubuntu at www.ubuntu.com It's free
and can installed on as many computers as you like. It comes with Open
Office. So, if you want to save $2000 dollars ...

In addition, Vista requires high end hardware so you may be saving some
money on not having to buy that as well.

The only drawback to Open Office is it has no Outlook equivalent and
Evolution (which also comes loaded with Ubuntu) isn't nearly as good as
Outlook.

Alias

 

[Alias]

I thought all retail versions of Office allowed for two installs.
Technically, on one desktop and one laptop.
That requirement being absurd because it's totally
unenforceable.

Why isn't it enforceable? Activation can't tell the difference between a
lap top and a desktop?

I didn't know the Student and Teacher version allowed
for three installs. Are you sure?


-Michael

Yeah, it's true but no Outlook or Access with the Student/Teacher version.

Alias

 

[MICHAEL]

Why isn't it enforceable? Activation can't tell the difference between a
lap top and a desktop?

Let me just say- if it can, it never has.

Yeah, it's true but no Outlook or Access with the Student/Teacher version.

No Outlook? That's too bad.... I absolutely need Outlook, and for myself-
that is the biggest drawback in even thinking seriously about converting
full-time to Linux. As of now, there isn't any real comparison to Outlook...
Evolution doesn't cut it, and neither does running Office in a VM on some
Linux distro.


-Michael

 

[Kerry Brown]

How come the price of Chevy Malibu is more than a Cobalt when the production
costs are very similar? How come the same item at Neiman Marcus costs more
than at Wal-Mart? We live in a capitalist society. I wish the price price of
Windows was cheaper as well. I'm pretty sure it's priced to maximize profits
based on Microsoft's business model and our wishes don't enter into the
equation. How often we open our wallet does. If you don't like the way
something is priced look for an alternative. If enough people did the price
would come down. Linux is a viable alternative as is OS X. If you want
something changed you have to be proactive not reactive.

 

[MICHAEL]

We think that you should check out Ubuntu at www.ubuntu.com It's free
and can installed on as many computers as you like. It comes with Open
Office. So, if you want to save $2000 dollars ...

Personally, I would suggest http://www.pclinuxos.com/

Although, I haven't tried the latest Ubuntu.

In addition, Vista requires high end hardware so you may be saving some
money on not having to buy that as well.

That's really not true. Vista does not require "high end" hardware.
Perhaps, for all the fru fru visuals. Having to install more RAM is a
definite possibility. But, even the latest Linux flavors are becoming
bigger memory users. There are a lot of graphic cards that can
handle Vista just fine and not really that expensive.

You and I are basically on the same page when it comes to the
concerns we share about WGA, WPA, and DRM... it's gone too far.

The only drawback to Open Office is it has no Outlook equivalent and
Evolution (which also comes loaded with Ubuntu) isn't nearly as good as
Outlook.

I totally agree.

When I was using Thunderbird for newsgroups, I had you and Frank
blocked. I have since switched over to Windows Live Mail for newsgroups
and had not applied new filters. However, stalker Frank went right back
on the list almost immediately. He's such a waste of time, he adds nothing
of value to this group.... nothing. So far, I've enjoyed reading some of your
posts again.


Take care,

Michael

 

[Alias]

Let me just say- if it can, it never has.

Thanks ;-)

No Outlook? That's too bad.... I absolutely need Outlook, and for myself-
that is the biggest drawback in even thinking seriously about converting
full-time to Linux. As of now, there isn't any real comparison to
Outlook...
Evolution doesn't cut it, and neither does running Office in a VM on some
Linux distro.

-Michael

I agree with you. I surely hope Evolution *evolves* and becomes as good
as Outlook. Outlook and games are the only reasons I still have XP.

Alias

 

[Alias]

Personally, I would suggest http://www.pclinuxos.com/

I don't like the look of PC Linux.

Although, I haven't tried the latest Ubuntu.

It's much better. Video cards recognized automagically, NTFS, both
internal and external recognized and readable/writable automagically. It
took some time to configure Compiz-Fusion because it's different than Beryl.

That's really not true. Vista does not require "high end" hardware.
Perhaps, for all the fru fru visuals. Having to install more RAM is a
definite possibility.

Especially if you only have 512MB.

But, even the latest Linux flavors are becoming
bigger memory users. There are a lot of graphic cards that can
handle Vista just fine and not really that expensive.

But it's more money. I am running Gutsy on an AMD XP Athlon 2200 with
only one gig of memory and a PCI nVidia 256 MB video card.

You and I are basically on the same page when it comes to the
concerns we share about WGA, WPA, and DRM... it's gone too far.

Had it not been for those, I would have never considered Linux.

I totally agree.

When I was using Thunderbird for newsgroups, I had you and Frank
blocked. I have since switched over to Windows Live Mail for newsgroups
and had not applied new filters. However, stalker Frank went right back
on the list almost immediately. He's such a waste of time, he adds nothing
of value to this group.... nothing. So far, I've enjoyed reading some
of your
posts again.


Take care,

Michael

Thanks, I am currently ignoring Frank. Life's way too short to go round
and round with him.

Alias

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

There is always Office 2007 Standard upgrade, I am sure you must own a
previous version of Office you can upgrade from.

 

[MICHAEL]

LOL. Andre, I already own a few copies of Office 2007
and Office 2003. I was just curious.


-Michael

 

[HeyBub]

No Outlook? That's too bad.... I absolutely need Outlook, and for
myself- that is the biggest drawback in even thinking seriously about
converting full-time to Linux. As of now, there isn't any real
comparison to Outlook... Evolution doesn't cut it, and neither does
running Office in a VM on some Linux distro.

Psst: There's no Outlook in Linux either. Pass it on.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

"cost of the operating system for 3 home computers at about $1000"
then some may find upgrading all unnecessary at the time.
Everyone should have protection against malware, but few of those need
to upgrade all their computers.

I certainly have not upgraded all of my computers to Windows Vista.
I have done 2, and I may a third, but that depends on other factors.

Microsoft's pricing model comes down to capitalism.
Microsoft wants to make money and in fact is legally obligated to make
as much money for their investors as possible.
Anything less may be prosecutable as a crime.

The reality is we the buyers determine the price.
If we do not like the price, we purchase elsewhere or another form.
Windows Vista is extremely cheap when it comes OEM on a new computer.
There are of course other options.
But as long as people pay the price, the price will probably stay
where it is.
I am sure everyone would like the price lower just like we would like
the prices of other products lower, but what we would like is not
really relevant as long as we pay the asking price.

If you look at it, the price of Windows has not changed since Windows
95.
The $ asked has remained about the same.
Windows XP Home is priced similar to Windows Vista Home Premium while
Windows XP Pro is about the same as Windows Vista Business.
Windows Vista Home Basic and Ultimate are new and have no real
comparison to previous products.
Taking inflation into account, Windows Vista is quite a bit cheaper
than earlier versions of Windows.

 

[MICHAEL]

Psst: There's no Outlook in Linux either. Pass it on.

Who said there was?


-Michael

 

[The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly]

Thanks ;-)


I agree with you. I surely hope Evolution *evolves* and becomes as good
as Outlook. Outlook and games are the only reasons I still have XP.

Alias

There is an effort going on to combine the best of Eudora and
Thunderbird into a FOSS program for linux, windows, and OSX.
http://wiki.mozilla.org/Penelope_Developer_Page#Linux


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[Telstar]

We think that you should check out Ubuntu at www.ubuntu.com It's free and
can installed on as many computers as you like. It comes with Open Office.
So, if you want to save $2000 dollars ...

In addition, Vista requires high end hardware so you may be saving some
money on not having to buy that as well.

The only drawback to Open Office is it has no Outlook equivalent and
Evolution (which also comes loaded with Ubuntu) isn't nearly as good as
Outlook.

Alias

The last statement is definately true. ABSOLUTELY NONE of the Open Office
programs provide the full functionality of Office.

 

[Charlie Tame]

The last statement is definately true. ABSOLUTELY NONE of the Open Office
programs provide the full functionality of Office.

Yep, I really miss clippit the animated paperclip.

 

[dennis@home]

Yep, I really miss clippit the animated paperclip.

When was the last time you used M$ office? 98?