software question

[sfgiants]

Hello all. I have a question for the tech savvy amongst us. I recently purchased a laptop for my home. I also have a desktop. I have one copy of microsoft office. It installed fine on both computers. Here's the question:

a) I know this seems to be a violation of the user agreement. Am I in danger of any problems as a result of this? I haven't tried to auto-update the laptop yet as I don't have wi-fi as of yet.

b) I am trying to avoid purchasing two copies but will if I have to. Aside from perhaps moral issues here am I violating anything?

c) Both computers are macs. I would also like to get iwork installed on both. The apple rep suggested I would face consequences from apple if I installed it on both. This gets me nervous. Should I be?

Overall, I want to do the right thing and will buy second copies if I have to but since I have already paid once...I just don't want to be opening myself up to problems

Thanks for any input/advice

[Steve Jung]

What version is it? "The Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition comes with three licenses of non-Exchange-enabled Office 2008 licensed for noncommercial computers." Emphasis mine. In fact that's the same for the last couple Education versions. Not sure about the previous home versions.

[Ranger REG]

From what I hear the Office Home and Student Edition includes a three-user license, meaning you could install that same copy of the software in up to three computers. You can also update the software in those multiple computers.

All other Office versions have a single-user license, including separate programs like Outlook.

[XCorvis]

You're probably fine legally for the reasons others already said. In any case, your Apple software updates don't check to see if you have office installed, and I don't think the office updates even do any checking. Microsoft is surprisingly non-invasive when it comes to licensing everything but Windows itself. Apple doesn't give a damn if you pirate someone else's software.

[Ebonyr]

I don't have MS Office 2008, However, MS Office 2007 gives 3 licenses. I'm sure its the same for 2008.

[sfgiants]

thanks for the info. I have the Office 2008 for mac version. I am a teacher and got a copy provided to me by my employer so... I am guessing I have three licenses I was mostly worried that this would somehow get me in trouble

[azhrei_fje]

And the Apple iWork package is $60 for a single license, $80 for a "family pack" of five licenses. My wife got iWork for her MacBook so we went ahead and got the family pack so that I could install it as well. (And it's only $20 to stay legal. )

She has had MS Office on her Windows-based desktop in the past, but I've switched completely to OpenOffice on my Mac and on all of my Linux machines, so if she ever gets another Windows box it will not have MS Office on it at all. There's really not much need for it any more as the OOo import filters have become pretty good.

[Mercule]

I use MS Office from my MSDN subscription, so my license is substantially different, but the "three installations" sounds right for the versions you'd get at Staples or Best Buy.

My advice is to either read the EULA or search on the MS site.

[azhrei_fje]

Originally Posted by Mercule

My advice is to either read the EULA or search on the MS site.

Heh-heh, yeah. Good idea. Read the EULA and you'll never buy another MS title again.