Anyone take advangate of the Microsoft Home Use program?

[mattkime]

I just received an email regarding the Microsoft Home Use program which allows you to purchase a copy of Microsoft product for essentially the price of the media ($10ish) if your employer has Software Assurance.

I'm all set to get Office for $10 but I wanted to verify the deal here - supposedly you can only use the software as long as your employer has Software Assurance. Does this mean the app will shut down once their contract ends?

Seems unlikely but I wouldn't put it past microsoft!

[AlphaDog]

I found this in a Google search:

"The Employee Purchase Programme offers your employees potential savings when they buy Microsoft licences and other consumer products. The retail products bought through this benefit remain with the employee even after your Software Assurance coverage has expired or if the employee leaves the company. Visit http://epp.microsoft.com for more information."

I clicked on that link in the original, but there was too much printed stuff, and I'm not yet awake enough to read all of the fine print.

[AAA]

Just do it.

[SDGuy]

Yeah, I've used it to get Office 2004 & 2008. Pay the fee, it shows up in the mailbox a few days later in generic packaging.

It's pretty much the honor system - when you leave the company, remember to deinstall the software and never use it again, despite having the media and software key in your possession.

[MGS_forgot_password]

Yep, I've done it too. (except I had to pay $20)

Works just like SDGuy explained.

[AlphaDog]

MGS_forgot_password wrote:
Works just like SDGuy explained.

So I wonder why the MS site says it's OK to keep it? Here's the link to where I found that, by the way. You have to click on the benefit you want more information on, and then there's a silly little box that opens below the list. I missed seeing it the first time, because it was below my display area.

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/licensing/le..._14_anchor

[MGS_forgot_password]

The Microsoft Home Use Program is different than this Software Assurance Benefit thing.

[AlphaDog]

MGS_forgot_password wrote:
The Microsoft Home Use Program is different than this Software Assurance Benefit thing.

Got it! That one was on the list, too, but I missed seeing it. From MS's perspective, it, too, is under the umbrella of Software Assurance.

[DharmaDog]

I just did. Thanks for reminding me about this program.

I wanted Office 2008 for the Mac and Office Enterprise 2007 for PC. It only let me order the Mac version, which I primarily wanted, so it's ok.

After I purchased Office Mac it said I had also already purchased Office 2007 PC, not true. Oh well...

That wasn't a priority.

[rz]

DharmaDog wrote:
I just did. Thanks for reminding me about this program.

I wanted Office 2008 for the Mac and Office Enterprise 2007 for PC. It only let me order the Mac version, which I primarily wanted, so it's ok.

After I purchased Office Mac it said I had also already purchased Office 2007 PC, not true. Oh well...

That wasn't a priority.

That's odd, because I've purchased both Office 2008 for Mac and Office 2007 for PC from the HUP. Not a bad deal for $20 each.