[Mr Mushroom]

I need to buy Office 2004 for Mac, and was told by 2 different sales people at the Apple Store today that even though I am not a Student/Teacher, I can purchase and use the Office 2004 for Mac Student/Teacher edition. I just won't be able to upgrade at a later date. Is this true? Has anyone done this? When I try to activate or register it will I be asked by Microsoft for my Academic crudentials?

If anyone can buy this cheaper version, why would anyone buy the full version? The upgrade next year will likley cost more than buying the Student/Teacher edtion next year, so you will still be better off.

I am very confused - please help......

[Sage]

Hrm, never heard of that one before. I bought my student edition of Office through Academic Superstore, and they require that you send in a student ID, or a schedule, or a transcript, etc. Actually, Microsoft is stricter than most companies, and only "allows" the discount to be applied to University students (but any kind of teacher). I had to have my mom buy it for me (she's a teacher), since I'm a high school student, which they don't accept.

[Wiskedjak]

Yes, anyone can purchase Office Student/Teacher. It isn't upgradable. Also, you can't use it for commercial purposes. Doing so violates the EULA and isn't much different from pirating it. Microsoft has made the academic versions of Office available to the non-commercial home user as a way to combat piracy by this demographic (similar to Adobe putting out Photoshop Elements to combat piracy of Photoshop by the home user)

You can even get it from Best Buy

[Krusty]

Hmmm .. so this makes me wonder. Are there any components or functionality missing from the Student/Teacher Edition ??

[gorickey]

Originally posted by Krusty:
Hmmm .. so this makes me wonder. Are there any components or functionality missing from the Student/Teacher Edition ??

No.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by Krusty:
Hmmm .. so this makes me wonder. Are there any components or functionality missing from the Student/Teacher Edition ??

The only component missing is the contractual ability to use it commercially. Basically, if you're going to be making money by using Office, Microsoft wants a cut. If you're not going to be making money using it, and would otherwise pirate it, MS still wants a cut, but is willing to settle for a smaller one. I imagine the dollar value of Student/Teacher has been calculated to be the highest amount a home user will consider paying before they determine it to be more worth their while to pirate the software.

This form of fighting piracy makes much more sense to me than lawsuits. The entertainment industry could do to learn a little from the software industry.

[Angus_D]

Hmm, according to all the Microsoft.com page it's "for qualified educational users" only.

[gorickey]

Originally posted by Angus_D:
Hmm, according to all the Microsoft.com page it's "for qualified educational users" only.

True; however, nobody ever checks at places like CompUSA when you purchase it...

[alligator]

I purchased it from Amazon and they never asked. Of course, my son is a student so I was prepared to verify it. They didn't even care.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by gorickey:
True; however, nobody ever checks at places like CompUSA when you purchase it...

They aren't even required by MS to check.

[gorickey]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
They aren't even required by MS to check.

Correct...and even if they were, they wouldn't...