Office 365 Subscriptions - Can someone explain?

Egon

Egon

Egon

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Can someone shed some light on the subscriptions? Just using the 1 example, Office Home Premium comes at a cost of £79.99 and the mention of a 1 year annual subscription which gives free updates.

What happens at the end of the year? Do you just stop receiving updates, or do they stop you from using the software?
 
If you stop paying you lose the ability to use it however you can renew your subscription at the end of the year.

I still haven't decided if it's better or not, on the one hand the 365 subscription allows you to install Office on up to five machines whereas the retail product only allows for one machine. Office 365 is quite cheap on a month by month basis but it's a lifetime cost (though it'll be upgraded to Office 2014+ as each new version comes out) whereas the retail product is a large, one off cost but won't be upgraded to the latest version when it's released.

How big a deal are the updates, not that big if you ask me. Office at this stage is a pretty much perfect product, the power provided by it far outweighs the needs of most people and extra features provided by the next versions will only build on the features that most people rarely, if ever use anyway.
 
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hmm... not sure I like that.

I can see the benefits, I guess it makes it more affordable for some. But it looks like they are trying to tie people in.

I take it the pro version is the same business model as always? Up front cost circa £350, doesn't 'expire', receives updates and service packs?
 
Egon said:
hmm... not sure I like that.

I can see the benefits, I guess it makes it more affordable for some. But it looks like they are trying to tie people in.

I take it the pro version is the same business model as always? Up front cost circa £350, doesn't 'expire', receives updates and service packs?
Click to expand...

Yeah the retail is the same as ever, it used to be tied to one machine but they've relaxed that recently. It'll still get the security patches and service packs but just won't be upgraded to the latest version.
 
Before Office 365, I never had it on my home PC's, I just used notepad, then borrowed my mum's machine to write my CV when I needed it.

Now with Office 365, I started on the trial. Think I'm going to just pay for it year by year. Much more attractive price for home users now.
 
Macro said:
O365 also licenses you for 5 devices I seem to remember...
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It does, you can have it installed on five devices simultaneously whereas the retail copy can only be installed on one device at a time.
I think you can also stream Office on a random computer but I haven't tried so can't verify.
 
theheyes said:
If you're a regular Office user Office 365 is great. Even better if you value SkyDrive and Skype.
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ya debating about getting this myself - could put it on my laptop and home pc and then my wifes laptop - I also use skype. I think you get a certain credit per month to make calls - which I often do.

actually convincing myself here to get it. Wondering if I could install it on my moms computer also?
works on windows 7 I assume?
 
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