Microsoft Office Licence Confusion

Chugster

DatabaseError wrote: »

I also don't see any confusion...it's for commercial use, therefore business edition is appropriate.
My guess is that you claimed back on the PC as it's a business expense without thinking maybe you shouldn't as the machine is in your home?

Actually, I didnt because I purchased the PC before I started to work from home.

Chugster

What are the realities surrounding this anyway? If I were to have the home edition and the relevant legal entities decided I should have the Small Business edition, what would be the penalty? Would I have to pay the difference?

DatabaseError

Chugster wrote: »

What are the realities surrounding this anyway? If I were to have the home edition and the relevant legal entities decided I should have the Small Business edition, what would be the penalty? Would I have to pay the difference?

Reality is...nobody will know which version you are using...

Bikertov

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Also you can download the 2010 Beta Trial free valid until about October and who knows they M$ might allow a pre-order promo like Win7
Addendum also available on PC Pro / PC Advisor mags

You would need to check the Conditions of Use, but I would have thought that a Beta software versoin would not be able to be used in a 'production' envinronment, eg commercial use, but only for testing purposes.

As others have said, if you are using software for work purposes, be it self employed, from home or otherwise, that is commercial use.

If you are using it for personal use (and I would have thought low level ebay-ing and low level Buy-To-Let property management would be included in personal use) then you can use a Home / Student edition.

Marty_J

Chugster wrote: »

What are the realities surrounding this anyway? If I were to have the home edition and the relevant legal entities decided I should have the Small Business edition, what would be the penalty? Would I have to pay the difference?

It means you don't have a valid licence to use it for your purposes, which makes me think what is the point in paying for it at all?

£60 for a copy of Office you're not allowed to use doesn't sound like much of a bargain to me.

Bikertov

Chugster wrote: »

Actually, I didnt because I purchased the PC before I started to work from home.

Nothing to stop you bringing the PC 'into' the Business, and the Business paying you for it, at a reasonable price. You can then claim it as a Business expense (but it would then be owned by the Business as an asset) claim tax back, depreciate it etc.

When the Business no longer has a use for it, you could then sell it back to yourself at a lower price to reflect it's depreciated value.

enigma52

I don't think microsost software police would come knocking on your door

System

Office versions are more to do with the programs included with them. There is no way that the licence conditions on the type of use can ever be policed.

It is basically a case of pick the version to suit your needs. A comparison table is at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/FX101635841033.aspx

Marty_J

!!!!!! wrote: »

Office versions are more to do with the programs included with them. There is no way that the licence conditions on the type of use can ever be policed.

It is basically a case of pick the version to suit your needs. A comparison table is at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/FX101635841033.aspx

So people should just ignore the terms of use that they agree to when they install a piece of software?

I take it that you don't write software for a living?

System

I suggest that you read the EULA for MS Office 2007. Guess what? there is only one EULA for all versions and it doesn't mention restrictions for different versions. That ends your objection

If the licence doesn't mention the blurb on their site then it is not enforceable.
A 'commercial situation' can not be construed as using your PRIVATE computer AT HOME for business task where business is not the machines primary purpose.