Can I use Office among 4 users on one machine?

[JohnB]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

I'm using the Mac's "fast user switching" option on my new mac (4 users total). I'd like be able to have any of us edit a document at any time, without having to switch users and close an Office product that another user has open. Can I do this? Whether I can or not, can anyone point me to where its documented? (the Home edition license agreement seems to say I can install and use up to 3 copies on one machine - is this 3 copies in addition to the original installation or including the original? Also, I don't really want *copies* I just want to install it once and let all 4 users use it)

The trial (annoyware!) version can only be used by the administrator so today I can't even *test* the experience for other users. The alternative is OpenOffice which, for obvious reasons, is much less restrictive - but its unclear how compatible the files will be. If I don't get a workable answer for Office, I may just use OO and hope for the best.

thanks,
JB

 

[Diane Ross]

I'm using the Mac's "fast user switching" option on my new mac (4 users
total). I'd like be able to have any of us edit a document at any time,
without having to switch users and close an Office product that another user
has open. Can I do this? Whether I can or not, can anyone point me to where
its documented? (the Home edition license agreement seems to say I can install
and use up to 3 copies on one machine - is this 3 copies in addition to the
original installation or including the original?

No, that's 3 different machines.

Also, I don't really want
*copies* I just want to install it once and let all 4 users use it)

Yes install Office on one machine and let multiple users have access. Office
is installed in the root Application folder available to all users on that
machine. I often switch to a test user to check out something in Entourage
while I leave Entourage open in my main User.

Since only one user can use a computer at a time, there is no way you could
violate the license. Now if you had 4 computers and wanted to install Office
on each that's a whole different ballgame.

The trial (annoyware!) version can only be used by the administrator so today

Be sure to completely remove the demo before installing the retail version.
For more on removing the test drive see:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/install/demo.html>

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

I'm using the Mac's "fast user switching" option on my new mac (4 users
total). I'd like be able to have any of us edit a document at any time,
without having to switch users and close an Office product that another user
has open. Can I do this? Whether I can or not, can anyone point me to where
its documented? (the Home edition license agreement seems to say I can
install and use up to 3 copies on one machine - is this 3 copies in addition
to the original installation or including the original? Also, I don't really
want *copies* I just want to install it once and let all 4 users use it)

The trial (annoyware!) version can only be used by the administrator so today
I can't even *test* the experience for other users. The alternative is
OpenOffice which, for obvious reasons, is much less restrictive - but its
unclear how compatible the files will be. If I don't get a workable answer
for Office, I may just use OO and hope for the best.

Hmmm... Where did you get a trial version of Office 2008?

If you install Office in the HD:Applications directory, any user account
can open Office apps without requiring separate licenses. The license
only talks about machines, not user accounts.

The three licenses for H&S allow you to install Office on 3 *machines*.

 

[JohnB]

Thanks everyone for the quick answers - I'll buy it!

Hmmm... Where did you get a trial version of Office 2008?

JohnB: the trial version is Office 2004 and it came on my mac mini direct from Apple. I have 21 days left in the trial but its unusable by the main user of it (my wife, one of the non-preveliged users) so the trial is not that useful. I'm only posting to the 2008 forum because I don't see an option to buy Office 2004.

 

[Diane Ross]

I'm only posting to the 2008 forum because I don't see an option to buy Office
2004.

The forum is not version specific. In fact it is not even a forum but an
interface to a newsgroup.

It's much easier to use the Entourage newsreader to view this newsgroup. The
Mactopia web interface is just one way to access. If you can do an email,
then you can use the Entourage newsreader.

Another benefit is messages downloaded are searchable by Entourage's
Spotlight search. By clicking on the "more" button you can get older
messages to search for help.

How to subscribe to the Microsoft Entourage newsgroup

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/support_options/subnews.html>