MSO Cross-Grade Licensing From Windows To Mac

[Kurt_Todoroff]

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

Gentlemen:

I have used Macintosh and MSO at home since 1989.

I own a small business, and I have a Windows machine on my desk. I use it for accounting (Peachtree by Sage), credit card processing, and other business tasks. This computer has a licensed copy of Microsoft Office 2007 on it. I plan to replace this computer with an Intel iMac 24-inch in July. I will purchase Parallels Desktop and run my Windows applications inside it on the new iMac. (I already tested all of my Windows applications on a demo version of Parallels on my father's Intel iMac. They performed quite well, and their speed was surprisingly quick.) Even though my Windows computer has the licensed version of MSO 2007 on it, I want to run MSO 2008 natively on the new iMac.

Does Microsoft provide a cross-grade licensing mechanism for my situation, such that I can migrate from MSO 2007 Windows to MSO 2008 Mac without paying the full purchase price for MSO 2008? Once I migrate from the Windows machine to the new iMac, I will not be using it anymore. I'll keep it only for emergency situations, which, given my twenty-three years of Mac experience, will probably be zero. In other words, I won't be using the MSO 2007 applications anymore. Nor will I be selling this computer to somebody who would be using them.

I have no employees who would use this computer. I have one partner, my father, who brought his older G5 iMac to the office from home after he replaced it with a newer Intel iMac. He would not be using the old Windows machine.

Thank you.

 

[CyberTaz]

The only "official" answer would have to come from MS, but in general the
expected response is No - there is no cross-platform licensing. Mac product
& Windows product are from separate business units within MS.

Depending on which edition of Mac Office you already have you may be
entitled to install it on 2 separate systems as long as you only run it on
one at a time.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Kurt_Todoroff]

Hi Bob,

Thank you for your prompt reply.

The EULA states:

2. INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS.
a. Licensed Device. The licensed device is the device on which you use the software. You may install and use one
copy of the software on the licensed device.
b. Portable Device. You may install another copy on a portable device for use by the single primary user of the
licensed device.
c. Network Device. You may also install one copy on a network device. You may only use that copy as described in
the Remote Access section below.
d. Separation of Components. The components of the software are licensed as a single unit. You may not
separate the components and install them on different devices.
3. ADDITIONAL LICENSING REQUIREMENTS AND/OR USE RIGHTS.
a. Remote Access. You may access and use the software remotely from another device as described below.
• Primary user. The single primary user of the device hosting the remote desktop session may access and use
the software remotely from any other device. No other person may use the software under the same license at
the same time except to provide support services.
• Non-primary users. Any user may access and use the software remotely from a separately licensed device.
• Remote assistance. You may allow other devices to access the software to provide you with support services.
You do not need additional licenses for this access.

2.a. The licensed device would be my home Mac.
2.b. I don't own a portable device.
2.c. I do access the my business computer, which is a pc but will be the Mac, daily via VNC from my home or from elsewhere. However, exercising the Remote Access provisions of 3.a. seems shaky, at best, to me.

Thank you for your assistance.

Best wishes.

Regards,

Kurt R. Todoroff

 

[CyberTaz]

Yeah, the key phrase there is "support services" so I would say that it
"technically" would be a violation. If you're not actively using an Office
app on both systems simultaneously it's more a matter of conscience than
prosecution - I doubt you will be hunted down [although I'm not encouraging
you or anyone else to knowingly violate the EULA].

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac