Help me sort this out, please.

[Max]

There are two word proccessing programs from MS. One of them comes with
MS-Office. It is called Microsoft Word. It came as a demo disk with my new
computer (Windows XP), and was supposed to be available for 3 months. (I say
supposed to because I did not really take the time during those 90 days to
explore it.) After that, I can get the full version by purchasing a product
key (on the MS website, that is US$149.00; though it is available at varying
prices from other retail venues). From what I've seen on the i-net, it is
the regular version of MS-Word that I can buy in any retail store (online or
brick-&-mortar) at similar prices. Even if I qualify for the student-teacher
version (which I do), there is no real "upgrade" version or price. I do
understand, from web-surfing, that US$149 is a fairly good value for all the
other programs that comes with it as part of MS-Office, such as Excel,
Access, PowerPoint, Publisher, et. al. This upgrade (as well as the other
programs just mentioned) offers all the best word-processing features that I
drool over and covet.

Then there is the Word that came on the computer, which is basically the
same word-processing program that was on the old computer (Windows 98), and
offers no other features or programs.

If I want the coveted features, I have to spend approximately US$125 to
US$150 for the MS-Office software. Is there any difference in the software
if I purchase it over the internet or phone from the MS website as compared
to another website or store?

Thanks.

 

[Don MI]

There are two word proccessing programs from MS. One of them comes with
MS-Office. It is called Microsoft Word. It came as a demo disk with my
new
computer (Windows XP), and was supposed to be available for 3 months. (I
say
supposed to because I did not really take the time during those 90 days to
explore it.) After that, I can get the full version by purchasing a
product
key (on the MS website, that is US$149.00; though it is available at
varying
prices from other retail venues). From what I've seen on the i-net, it is
the regular version of MS-Word that I can buy in any retail store (online
or
brick-&-mortar) at similar prices. Even if I qualify for the
student-teacher
version (which I do), there is no real "upgrade" version or price. I do
understand, from web-surfing, that US$149 is a fairly good value for all
the
other programs that comes with it as part of MS-Office, such as Excel,
Access, PowerPoint, Publisher, et. al. This upgrade (as well as the other
programs just mentioned) offers all the best word-processing features that
I
drool over and covet.

Then there is the Word that came on the computer, which is basically the
same word-processing program that was on the old computer (Windows 98),
and
offers no other features or programs.

If I want the coveted features, I have to spend approximately US$125 to
US$150 for the MS-Office software. Is there any difference in the
software
if I purchase it over the internet or phone from the MS website as
compared
to another website or store?

Thanks.

You may want to explore How to Buy here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

Microsoft Works includes a Works word processor which is a basic feature
application.
Microsoft Works Suite includes the Works word processor and Word 2002. Word
2002 is the prior version of Word. It is included in the Works Suite because
the Works Suite is backward compatible to prior versions of Windows.
Word 2003 is the current version of Word included in Office 2003 and is not
compatible with prior versions of Windows.

Any version of Word 2003 that you obtain from any source is the same except
for license and cost.

Office 2003 for Students and Teachers includes the Office applications
included in Office 2003 Standard. Each of the Office applications included
in Office 2003 for Students and Teachers is also available as a stand alone
version for Students and Teachers. Word 2003 for Students and Teachers is
available from Amazon.com {and other places}. Unless you are sure that Word
2003 is the only Office application you will need, buying the Office package
will be lest cost.

If your new computer came with Works or Works Suite, those applications are
qualifying products for any upgrade edition of Office such as Office 2003
Standard or Professional. I did not check again, but I recall that they are
also qualifying products for the upgrade version of Word 2003.

Don