Should I get Office 2003?
Thread poster: Timothy Barton
Timothy Barton
Timothy Barton
Local time: 08:28
French to English
+ ...
Nov 8, 2005

I'm currently using Office 2000, and I haven't had any compatibility problems. Microsoft provide a reduction for students, with their Office package priced at 180€ (though they now include only Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint in the student package). There is also a 4 for 3 offer on at the moment, so if I can find fellow students willing to buy it, I can get it for 135€

By next summer I will no longer be eligible for the student offer, so if I don't buy it before then, I'll
... See more
I'm currently using Office 2000, and I haven't had any compatibility problems. Microsoft provide a reduction for students, with their Office package priced at 180€ (though they now include only Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint in the student package). There is also a 4 for 3 offer on at the moment, so if I can find fellow students willing to buy it, I can get it for 135€

By next summer I will no longer be eligible for the student offer, so if I don't buy it before then, I'll be paying a fortune. But is it really worth taking advantage of the price now? After all, I've never had any compatibility problems so far. But then, I haven't been able to invest in Workbench yet. Maybe I'll have problems trying to run the latest version of WorkBench with Office 2000.

The other dilema is that Microsoft are bringing out a new version anyway at the end of 2006, which, if it turns out to be a big change, may in any case be incompatible with Office 2003.
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Claudia Alvis
Claudia Alvis  Identity Verified
Peru
Local time: 01:28
Member
Spanish
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Not upgradable Nov 8, 2005

One thing you have to keep in mind is that those 'student editions' are not upgradable.

 
Timothy Barton
Timothy Barton
Local time: 08:28
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks Nov 8, 2005

Caliaa wrote:

One thing you have to keep in mind is that those 'student editions' are not upgradable.


I didn't realise any of Microsoft Office's products were upgradable. How much do you normally have to pay for an upgrade?

[Edited at 2005-11-08 19:05]


 
Éric Cléach
Éric Cléach  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 07:28
Member (2005)
English to French
"Student" editions are for students... Nov 8, 2005

Caliaa wrote:

One thing you have to keep in mind is that those 'student editions' are not upgradable.


Hi,

Also bear in mind that these "student editions" are meant to be used by students. What I mean is that, *I think*, you are not allowed to use a "student" Office license in a professional environment (except if you happen to be a teacher as well as a translator).

I personnaly think that from this point of view, OEM versions represent a better trade-off, though they are not upgradeable.

Here in France, you can buy OEM versions of Office 2003 Professional (you are *allowed* to install the package on 2 computers, which is not the case *afaik* with other versions) for 345 €. The supplier has the obligation to sell you some hardware with an OEM version. Some of them force you to buy a complete PC, in which case I reckon this is not very cost-efficient, others just tell you to buy a cheap keyboard for 10 € or so...





[Edited at 2005-11-08 21:26]

[Edited at 2005-11-08 21:26]


 
Claudia Alvis
Claudia Alvis  Identity Verified
Peru
Local time: 01:28
Member
Spanish
+ ...
Prices Nov 8, 2005

Timothy Barton wrote:

I didn't realise any of Microsoft Office's products were upgradable. How much do you normally have to pay for an upgrade?

[Edited at 2005-11-08 19:05]


Hello Timothy,

I don't know the prices in Europe but on Amazon.com Office 2003 are listed listed as follows:

* Microsoft Office Standard Student and Teacher Edition 2003 price $124.99

* Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 price $414.99

* Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 Upgrade price $274.99

Upgrade Eligibility

Determine whether your current version of Microsoft Office qualifies you for the upgrade price. The following products qualify:

Microsoft Office XP: Office XP Developer, Office XP Professional with FrontPage., Office XP Professional Special Edition, Office XP Professional with Publisher, Office XP Professional, Office XP Small Business Edition, Office XP Standard

Microsoft Office 2000: Office 2000 Developer, Office 2000 Premium, Office 2000 Professional, Office 2000 Small Business Edition, Office 2000 Standard

Microsoft Office 97: Office 97 Professional, Office 97 Small Business Edition (version 2), Office 97 Small Business Edition (version 1), Office 97 Standard

Microsoft Works: Works Suite 20061, Works Suite 2004, Works Suite 2003, Works Suite 2002, Works Suite 2001, Works 2000, Works 8.0, Works 7.0, Works 6.0

[Edited at 2005-11-08 21:48]


 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:28
Flemish to English
+ ...
Microsoft Office 2006 Nov 8, 2005

will be on the market in spring of next year. Perhaps it would be better to wait a bit...

 
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:28
German to English
Student version does not support XML Nov 9, 2005

The student/teacher version, at least in the version available in the US, does not support XML. This may or may not be an issue with you. It also does not include Access.

The US package defines student so broadly that it includes parents of students, as well as students themselves, and is freely available. As nearly as I can tell, there's no verification process regarding "student" status. You do have to register the product in order to use it after a few times, however.

... See more
The student/teacher version, at least in the version available in the US, does not support XML. This may or may not be an issue with you. It also does not include Access.

The US package defines student so broadly that it includes parents of students, as well as students themselves, and is freely available. As nearly as I can tell, there's no verification process regarding "student" status. You do have to register the product in order to use it after a few times, however.

I can't imagine that European versions would have more complex verification provisions.

On the other hand, there's no telling what features the next version may offer, so as someone has already suggested, it might be worth waiting. The price of Office 2003 will doubtless be reduced after that release in order to get rid of inventory.
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Heinrich Pesch
Heinrich Pesch  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 08:28
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
Don-t fix it if it ain't broke Nov 9, 2005

If all is well with your 2000, why change. Many translators use still Word95.
Regards
Heinrich


 


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Should I get Office 2003?






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