Rip Off MS Office - Options?

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DampCat

DampCat

DampCat

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Hiya

So i just found out the copy of Office i bought is a rip off. I am unable to return it or reclaim any money so that's not an option. I can install it on XP but i cannot activate or download updates for it. That's fine for me, cause you can do the trusty XP workarounds and what have you.

I'm worried though, i just bought my mother a laptop for Christmas and it has come with Vista Basic. What are vista's options as far as this concerned? Does it have some kind of mad built in security which will laugh at me upon inserting the CD? I'd love to be able to use it since the laptop is for my mum's work but i just dont have £295 for MS Office.

I have an older version of Office 2000, will this work on Vista at all? Ideally i'd prefer to use 2007 cause at work she uses 2003. Is it possible to call MS and get them to activate the 2007 i've purchased if i explain i've been cheated? Or will the want me to pay for another key?
 
You could try contacting MS, although I'd imagine they'll still want some amount of money for giving you a license. They won't just give it to you for free.

There's always Office 2007 Home & Student (£80 or thereabouts), but you did say that it's for your mum's work, which is against the license agreement for that particular version.
 
siiiiiiiiiiiigh

Thanks for the tips. Will OpenOffice allow her to use databases and spreadsheets that she's created with the Microsoft counterparts?
 
DampCat said:
siiiiiiiiiiiigh

Thanks for the tips. Will OpenOffice allow her to use databases and spreadsheets that she's created with the Microsoft counterparts?
Click to expand...

There may be a few easily sorted minor formatting issues but overall she shouldn't have any troubles.
 
I'm afraid I don't have a great deal of sympathy for you.
I know that might sound horrible, however you know how much MS Office costs - so really, what made you think that this super discounted version was going to be the real deal?
I know exactly the kind of site you will have probably bought this item from - the prices are low to the point where you really cannot believe them.
They also say in their FAQ that the version you buy will not accept updates - in other words "Please pay us for obviously illegal software".

It really wasn't so much of a case of you being ripped off.
It's no different to you "Buying something from a bloke in a pub".
It's a great deal until you find that it isn't as you expected or has indeed been stolen.

MS will quite rightfully so not be interested in helping you.
They used to offer a discount system for people with illegal copies of Windows, however part of the deal was you had to tell them where you had bought your illegal copy from.

From a home user point of view then the Office 2007 Home & Student edition at around £70 - £80 (and can be legally installed on 3 PC's) is an absolute bargain.
I'm guessing however that the price you paid was probably even less than that.
At the price you paid you knew what you were getting into.
If you didn't, then contact the police and make them aware of a company selling illegal software.
If it was an online purchase speak to your credit card company and ask them to get you a refund.

Your question should not be "How do I use my newly purchased illegal software?" it should be "How do I now get myself legal?" to which the answer is buy yourself a proper version of the software.
 
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