Buying Office Pro with Education license

[NBee]

Hi all, I am putting together (well ordering) a laptop for my parents, which will have Vista installed by Dell.

The one thing I promised them was Office Pro. However I have a feeling that my old Pro 2000 version is not going to be compatible with Vista. So, it looks like we may have to buy the new version.

My partner is a student, and I can see that there are much cheaper versions available for students.

Is it OK for us to purchase the software in this manner and then install it onto my parents laptop? Is there anything particularly wrong with that, will that work?

Many thanks for any help.

[EzyStvy]

you may not sell, assign or otherwise transfer your rights under this Student EULA
Microsoft Student Select License Agreement

[NBee]

Originally Posted by EzyStvy you may not sell, assign or otherwise transfer your rights under this Student EULA Microsoft Student Select License Agreement

...is the official Microsoft answer! But really, would it pose a problem? After all it would be in the family, and on a machine that the student would be using from time to time? I believe the license allows the software to be installed on up to three machines?

[sdkfz]

You confusing versions- the home and student version can be installed on three machines, the student license version is one install.

As to your specific question- "But really, would it pose a problem?" the answer is yes.

[EzyStvy]

Pretty sure Office 2000 should work on Vista provided it isn't installed on another machine already.

[NBee]

Originally Posted by EzyStvy Pretty sure Office 2000 should work on Vista provided it isn't installed on another machine already.

Well I've had various opinions. Some lists say it isn't compatible, others say it is. I don't have a sure way of finding out until the machine arrives, which isn't much good for them!

I have it installed on various XP installations I have put together, and it never complains.

[shadowpr]

You could go the free way and just use open office.

[glc]

All modules of Office 2000 will run fine on Vista except Outlook and the paperclip. Do a custom install and don't install Outlook or the help characters and you should be fine.

[NBee]

GLC - are you sure of this?

If that's true, you've made my day...

[glc]

That's what a few minutes of Google tells me. Search on Office 2000 Vista and read some things for yourself.

[NBee]

Yep, I see what you mean - thanks GLC!

[glc]

However, can I suggest you order the laptop with XP?

[mairving]

Do your parents really need Office Pro or do they want Office Pro because is says Pro? I tend to run into this confusion all the time. From Dell you can get either Basic, Small Business or Pro. They are priced at $149, $279 and $399. I doubt if they need Access or OneNote so the SB version may work for them. If they don't need Publisher and Powerpoint, Basic will work for them.

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[glc]

If all they need is Word, you can get Works Suite pretty cheap. If all they need is *any* word processor, Dells come with basic Works.

Works also comes with a basic spreadsheet and some other stuff. It's just not Office compatible.