Microsoft Office

[CommonCents]

I think this will be the 170,001 thread, if I post it fast enough!

Has anyone bought it through their company, then left the company?  Do they verify it after the initial verification?

Just bought a computer and I need to get Microsoft Office.  DH can get it through his work for $10, which is an awesome price.  But, they claim you need to continue to be an employee.  I'm wondering if it really matters after they verify it once.  (DH is seeking a new job, although he's been wanting one for a few years so this is not likely an immediately pending move but rather in 6 months at absolute best.)

[Jmoody10]

Depends - if he registers with his email, it can be deactivated.

If they give you are license key, it won't matter if you leave.

[Jack]

You're actually asking two questions here:

1. Will it still physically continue to function after he's no longer an employee?
2. Will you still have legal permission to use it after he's no longer an employee?

Also, there's a third question you didn't ask, but should consider:

3. Do you really need Microsoft Office, or would LibreOffice be good enough?

If the answer to #3 is "LibreOffice is good enough," then the answers to the first two questions are irrelevant.

[Future Lazy]

You're actually asking two questions here:

1. Will it still physically continue to function after he's no longer an employee?
2. Will you still have legal permission to use it after he's no longer an employee?

Also, there's a third question you didn't ask, but should consider:

3. Do you really need Microsoft Office, or would LibreOffice be good enough?

If the answer to #3 is "LibreOffice is good enough," then the answers to the first two questions are irrelevant.

Or OpenOffice... Or Google Docs...

Lots of alternatives. :)

[Jack]

If the answer to #3 is "LibreOffice is good enough," then the answers to the first two questions are irrelevant.

Or OpenOffice... Or Google Docs...

Lots of alternatives. :)

LibreOffice and OpenOffice are almost the same thing. (Read the gory details if you care why they exist separately.)

[RWD]

At home LibreOffice is more than sufficient for my needs. At work the company pays for my copy of Microsoft Office.

[CommonCents]

You're actually asking two questions here:

1. Will it still physically continue to function after he's no longer an employee?
2. Will you still have legal permission to use it after he's no longer an employee?

Also, there's a third question you didn't ask, but should consider:

3. Do you really need Microsoft Office, or would LibreOffice be good enough?

If the answer to #3 is "LibreOffice is good enough," then the answers to the first two questions are irrelevant.

Well, as a lawyer, I'm fairly sure I know the answer to question 2 already.  I'm asking #1.

Have never heard of LibreOffice before.  I hate Google documents though and try to avoid unless I have to.  Maybe it was my old computer both at work and at home freezing up on me all the time, but I had a lot of issues and have zero desire to rely on it for a primary source of word/excel etc.  I'm also not clear whether it'd be sufficient to let me work from home on the rare days I need to.  It's too much pain to risk.

[shuffler]

1. Will it still physically continue to function after he's no longer an employee?
2. Will you still have legal permission to use it after he's no longer an employee?

Well, as a lawyer, I'm fairly sure I know the answer to question 2 already.  I'm asking #1.

As a lawyer who knows the answer to question #2, you can probably afford to buy a legitimate copy.

[CommonCents]

1. Will it still physically continue to function after he's no longer an employee?
2. Will you still have legal permission to use it after he's no longer an employee?

Well, as a lawyer, I'm fairly sure I know the answer to question 2 already.  I'm asking #1.

As a lawyer who knows the answer to question #2, you can probably afford to buy a legitimate copy.

Well, you know what they say about making assumptions.  If I were a biglaw firm lawyer, the firm would pay for the laptop and programs despite having buckets of cash thrown at me daily, but sadly, I work for state government, which I assure you is not highly paid.  I even bring in my own supplies.

(Although I'd like to note that at the time of purchase, we would be buying a legitimate copy for the only working laptop in the house - it's not like I'm asking a professor friend to buy me University Office with her email.)

In any event, as mentioned he's been threatening/complaining about his job now and saying he needs a new one for the last 3 years so this may never happen.

[shuffler]

Well, you know what they say about making assumptions.

Sorry, that was a miscommunication on my part.  I didn't mean "afford" in the sense of an assumption about your income.

I meant "afford" in the sense that (as a lawyer who knew the answer to #2) you'd make it a priority to do the right/contractual/legal thing and purchase a legitimate copy when/if your husband should leave his employer.  Or choose to use one of the alternative office suites posted earlier.