ron said:
I found microsoft office 2003 on ebay for 167.99. My question is if I buy
this (or any microsoft program)how many PC's can I
install it on? I need to put in on a laptop and my desktop. Also, if I
ever get a new PC or something happens where everything
crashes is it possible to re'install the program? I ask cuz I've hear
your only allowed to install these programs on 3 pc's. If
true, does that mean that if I installed the program on 3 pc's and one
crashed, that if I went to install it on a new pc it
wouldn't?? I find this hard to believe. There has to be a way to prove
that you bought the program legit so you can continue to
install the program on your own personal pc's......
ron
Here is a post I made a while back in microsoft.public.office.misc . when I
was considering buying office on E-Bay:
Allow me to put this in layman's terms for you. As I understand it:
In the new marketplace being created for us by the good folks at Microsoft
(and others) you cannot own any software. Unlike a car or a toaster it is
not a tangible product that you can buy or sell. What you are buying when
you plunk your money down on the counter at your local Computer Shack is the
permission to use the software. Permission granted under strict rules. Those
rules tell you how you may use the software.
When you buy a new computer with software pre-loaded (OEM software) the OEM
(computer builder) paid for permission to install the software on that one
computer. The cost of that permission was included in the price you paid for
the computer. Anyone who owns that computer has permission to use the
software. You can (still) sell the computer, with the software on it, and
the new owner can use the software, but you can no longer use that software.
You can't sell the software. Or use it on a different computer. The
"original disks and product key" are given to you in the event you ever need
to reload the software onto the same computer it was originally installed
on. No other reason. So for your new computer you must buy new software.
Please throw away the disks you have, or put them inside the old computer's
case when you sell it or throw it in the dump.
For approx. $120 at Amazon you can gain permission to install the software
on 3 desktop computers, provided that you are a teacher or a student, but
you do not get all of the programs included in the full edition. It is a
"limited edition".
For $500 you can gain permission to install the full version of the software
on 1 desktop computer and 1 laptop computer. Only. Not 2 desktops. Not 2
laptops. 1 desktop computer and 1 laptop computer.
For $1000 you can gain permission to install the software on 2 desktop
computers and 2 laptops. And you get an extra set of disks and another
product key! Because you have to buy 2 boxes of software.
Got it? That's the deal. That's what you legally agree to when you click "I
Agree" on the second page of the installation process.
I do not agree.
And here is the reaction from the good folks at microsoft:
You did a very nice job of explaining that.
-- JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
There are a few ways to get around the activation nonsense. Just go to
alt.hacks and read the back posts.
