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Buying MS Office - Upgrade vs New User...


dicknite

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I have a legitimate, legal, paid for by me, registered to me, licensed to me (so that should alleviate the seemingly required sidelining of this thread to one about pirating...) copy of Office 2000 Professional.I have misplaced the original CD's - if you saw my office, you would understand... I have them somewhere, but have had no luck in locating them. I have not checked to see if Microsoft will replace them for a fee - maybe, I guess.I would like to start using Office 2003 Small Business Edition, since a laptop I bought had a trial version of it installed and I really like it.My questions: - Do I need the physical CD's for 2000 to do the upgrade, or do I just need the licensing information that is in the computer... Does an upgrade ask for the original CD to be inserted? I have the 2 original 2000 Pro CD's copied to files on my hard drive... - Is the Upgrade product the same as the "New" as far as CD's go? If I change computers and have to reinstall on the new one, will I be hosed because I don't have the original originals?I would really like to upgrade, since the price difference between upgrading and buying as a new user is a couple hundred dollars.Thanks for any feedback!d|:^)Dick

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An Upgrade will search for an installed product first. If it fails to locate an installed product, you will be asked for media to verify.If you put it on another machine you will need the orginal disks or copies of them. It does not have to be installed on the other machine.Technically, the EULA binds the old and the Upgrade media together. If your were buying a "new" copy of Office 2003 BE, you could do whatever you liked with the old copy as you are not bound to keep it.

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Martini Lover

Why don't you look at the Student/Teacher Edition?To qualify legally under the EULA, is little more than breathing.You can install it on two machines plus a laptop. Three total legally.When I got it you could buy it for under a hundred bucks, and I got a free HP Printer, camera, paper and a lot of crap in a big box. Great deal, and I had a $25.00 coupon to make it even betterStudent/Teacher includes Excel 2003 Outlook 2003 PowerPoint 2003 Word 2003Office Small Business Edition 2003, with Excel 2003, Outlook 2003, Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager, Microsoft Office PowerPoint® 2003, Microsoft Office Publisher 2003, and Word 2003

Edited by Martini Lover
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That's what I thought... I know in the old days, the CD's were the same for upgrade/new, you just had to show proof when buying. This way, it seems, if you buy upgrade and keep it for a while (I've had Office 2000 for 5 years), you have to keep the old set around for re-install purposes - since my computers never last 5 years!Oh well, so be it.I need Publisher, so can't go with the Educational version - besides, I'm not an educator or student, but a business, and I have to have all completely legit software on my boxes.Thanks for the responses.d|:^)Dick

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Maybe your office needs a Clean Sweep? :PFor the Student/Teacher edition, there is no verification needed. You just walk in Sam's Club or Costco and buy it. Install it. No questions asked. I did that. Installed on my and my wife's computer. Still have one copy left. But I understand you need Publisher.

Edited by DeafBug
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Does breaking the terms of the ELUA bother you? Because there is no verification does that make it easier? In my opinion, this is why we ALL pay more for everything... because many find it easy to skirt reality and what is right.

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Does breaking the terms of the ELUA bother you? Because there is no verification does that make it easier? In my opinion, this is why we ALL pay more for everything... because many find it easy to skirt reality and what is right.

Well, now that we've all been properly sermonized, I feel much better!!
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nlinecomputers
Does breaking the terms of the ELUA bother you? Because there is no verification does that make it easier? In my opinion, this is why we ALL pay more for everything... because many find it easy to skirt reality and what is right.

Not that I support this but do you REALLY think that Microsoft is ignorant of the fact that Cosco, Walmart, and Best Buy all sell this product without doing any checks? And if they were REALLY concerned they would put a stop to it. It is not the first time that Microsoft has allowed an "illegal" method of product distribution when it suited there needs.
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Just so you know, Microsoft does not support this version if you have problems with it. I purchased it for college, ran into problems and called M$ and they flat out refused to help me once they found out it was the student/teacher edition. They told me to contact my schools IT department for assistance.

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Something else not mentioned.Maybe the OEM version is for you. All they seem to require is a hardware purchase.On a side note. The 2003 is really just a little bit better than the 2003 version. I have both. 2003 on the Home PC and 2000 on my work Laptop. Both are the word/Access/Excel/Outlook/Powerpoint variety. I added Frontpage since that is what I use for my little website. Unless you really need to reload it I'd save your $250-$500. Don't bother with the "Upgrade version" as it makes it a real pain to reinstall it after a hard drive crash/replacement. I had Office 95 full and Office 97 upgrade and sever reinstalls between all the different flavors. Of course since you are the legal owner I doubt you will get under much hot water if copy some one else's copy of the exact version you have. You will need to find the CD Key for your copy.Personally I keep the originals in a safe place. All of MS's software is so expensive it is important to know where they are incase you need them. I have all my windows CD's since W95 (the original copy) and W 3.11's floppy's.

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