OEM vs. full product MS Office Pro 2003

[Bill Lathan]

I am interested in the above package and went to PriceGrabber. I can
purchase the full product for about $300 or an OEM version for half of that.
What's the trick with the OEM version? Is it not quite the same or what?
Also, what is the licensing now for Office? I'd like to install it both on a
desktop machine and a laptop, only one of which is used at at time. Is this
possible? If there's a pointer to this information somewhere, I'd appreciate
it.

TIA,

Bill

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Full Retail Version = Install on 2 machines, desktop and portable used by
the same person but not at the same time. Can be transferred to new
machine - is hardware independent.

OEM = Single installation on machine with the hardware that you purchased.
No second machine installation and no transfer.


--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. Due to
the (insert latest virus name here) virus, all mail sent to my personal
account will be deleted without reading.


After scratching one's head,
Bill Lathan <[email protected]> asked this group:
| I am interested in the above package and went to PriceGrabber. I can
| purchase the full product for about $300 or an OEM version for half
| of that. What's the trick with the OEM version? Is it not quite the
| same or what? Also, what is the licensing now for Office? I'd like to
| install it both on a desktop machine and a laptop, only one of which
| is used at at time. Is this possible? If there's a pointer to this
| information somewhere, I'd appreciate it.
|
| TIA,
|
| Bill

 

[joust in jest]

OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer

Microsoft OEM software => Low cost solution for computer builders, including
the Biggies, Mom & Pop computer shops, and do-it-yourself computer builders.

Microsoft OEM software => per license agreement with Microsoft, can only be
sold with qualifying hardware (full computer in the case of the Biggies and
Mom & Pop computer shops; a MoBo or a hard drive for do-it-yourself
computer builders).

Microsoft OEM software => can only be installed on one computer. Can not be
installed on both a desktop and on a laptop concurrently.

Microsoft OEM software => is forever branded to the computer on which it
was originally installed. e.g. the License can never be transferred to
another computer.

Microsoft OEM software => Microsoft does not provide free technical support.
All technical support is supplied by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (in
this case -- you).

Microsoft OEM software => Some unscrupulous folk have been known to buy an
OEM copy, burn a backup copy, install that software on their computer, and
sell the original disk with packaging to unsuspecting buyers such as
yourself. When those buyers try to register their software, they can't, as
it has already been registered.

Because I am forever upgrading the motherboards in my computers, I avoid
using Microsoft OEM software -- with Microsoft Retail software, I simply
call MS after the upgrade, explain the change in hardware, and get a new
registration number. If I were using Microsoft OEM software, I would have to
buy new software each time I changed motherboards.

steve

 

[Opinicus]

registration number. If I were using Microsoft OEM software,
I would have to buy new software each time I changed
motherboards.

Definitely not true.

 

[joust in jest]

Not true for pre XP Office and Windows.. True for XP and later versions of
Office and Windows.

steve

 

[Opinicus]

Not true for pre XP Office and Windows.. True for XP and later versions of
Office and Windows.

Not true for WinXP Home or Office XP Pro, both of which I'm
using on a replaced motherboard.

The only thing MS say about OEM versions is that they don't
support them, the OEM does; and the original manufacturer of
the machine decides when the machine is no longer
"original".

As the maker of my machine, in my opinion the replacement of
a motherboard does not alter the machine's originality.

 

[joust in jest]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Since your experience is exactly
opposite of my experience, I conclude that the person whom one speaks to at
Microsoft has some latitude in interpreting our various stories and deciding
whether or not to issue new registration code(s).

steve