Solved Does it make sense for me to buy Office 2010 today?

I've been considering upgrading my Office 2003 installations, since support has run out, and, well, the program is 11 years old.

I primarily use Word, Excel, and Project. Occasionally PowerPoint. So it seems obvious that a Home & Student version would be fine for me, since MS Project does not come bundled in any Office product.

My initial criteria are these:

• I do not want to rent the software. I want to pay for it once and own it.
• Can't be tied to one PC. I want to be able to install it on my newest PCs as I replace my old one with a new one.
• I want a physical or file copy - DVD or Download.
• I want the program installed on my hard drive. I do not want to access business software over the internet.
• I want to install the same version on 2 desktops and 1 laptop. Obviously looking for the least expensive (legal) way to do this. This might include keeping Office 2003 on one or more machines.

Base on my criteria it looks like I am best off with MS Office 2010 Home & Student 3x Family Pack.
Amazon US is selling this for $280. EDIT: $260.

I'm looking for feedback, constructive criticism, warnings, and advice. My criteria is not set in stone, but it is what I am comfortable with. This is a business decision, so the long term cost is going to be the main deciding factor.

TIA for any comments.

It is a good product. I bought it too a while ago when it was a lot cheaper ($149). At Newegg it is currently slightly cheaper than at Amazon. Sometimes it goes on sale at Newegg. You might want to subscribe to their daily feed.

Microsoft Office 2010 Home & Student 3-User Software - Newegg.com

I too have Office 2003 Professional. I've been using free open office product Libre Office and haven't had any problems, so far. But, mainly I just use the word processor program.

My biggest problem has been finding an e-mail program that I like to replace Outlook 2003. I've tried Thunderbird and it was the most painless to install as it copied all my custom folders from Outlook 2003 automatically. I also have Windows Live Mail, but everything has to be manually setup or copied over.

I'm working on new web site too, as what I have now was generated with FrontPage 2003, which has obsolete HTML code.

Libre Office is a good idea too. I use it in Linux - Writer (Word) and Impress (PowerPoint). The UI is a bit different but the major functions are there and to some extent compatible with Office.

Did you ever think the day would come where it would be so difficult to just do a simple thing like buy a program and own it?

Then just put it on any computer you wanted to as long as it was only on one computer at a time. If you wanted to install said program on more than one computer at a time you just paid extra for the option.

NewEgg is safe for software as long as it is sold and shipped by NewEgg, not one of their Marketplace vendors. Amazon, on the other hand, has been know to get their software from their Marketplace vendors, who are sometimes pretty dodgy to downright fraudulent, when Amazon's own stocks run out. I would not trust Amazon for software.

It really bites my ample asset when speculators buy up products being discontinued, then resell them at grossly inflated prices. It's even worse when retailers like NewEgg start doing the same thing. NewEgg has really been slipping lately; I don't even get their daily ads (or any ads) anymore.

You have to be careful with a lot of things on Amazon. I've seen reports of fake Shure microphones from them. There are "far east" knockoff's and unless you have a real one to compare you wouldn't know its a fake.

fireberd said:

You have to be careful with a lot of things on Amazon. I've seen reports of fake Shure microphones from them. There are "far east" knockoff's and unless you have a real one to compare you wouldn't know its a fake.

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I got hit a few years ago with an expensive paper cutter from one of Amazon's Marketplace vendors that turned out to be a cheap knockoff and broke outside the normal 30 day return period. Since consumer fraud was involved, I tried to deal directly with Amazon. When Amazon kept ignoring my emails, even after I threatened to complain to the BBB, I complained to the BBB and eventually got satisfaction but I much prefer to avoid the hassle in the first place so I've very cautious about buying from their Marketplace vendors. I actually read the vendor reviews and make my own conclusions before buying instead of just looking at the number of stars in the ratings (too many people don't know the difference between a product review and a vendor review, for starters)

I went through the same decision last October. As near as I could find out, there was no version of Office later than 2010 that met your criteria: DVD, freedom to reinstall at will on any PC, no cloud/subscription, etc.

So I bought Office 2010 Home and Student for 3 PCs, SKU 79G-02144 for $160 from B and H Photo in NYC. That was the cheapest I could find it by at least $20.

But, maybe 6 months ago I came across a post from someone in Australia (I think on this forum) who contended he had found a version of 2013 that met your requirements. He seemed reliable enough, but I did not get the SKU and was not able to confirm this.

Having said that, here are 2 sources for the SKU I bought--79G 02144. One for 260, the other for 199:

https://www.buycheapsoftware.com/productrange~manprodrangeid~915.asp

MS Office 2010 | Buy Cheap Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student for 3 PCs Retail

I have never bought from either of these vendors, BUT I have seen reports from people who have that contend they are entirely legit.

There is an Office 2013 which was actually preinstalled on my Asus Transformer with 8.1. And I found one on the German Amazon. It does have a disclaimer though - not sure what that means. I guess it is what HD said - a collaboration with Office On-line.

This software can be installed only on www.office.com in conjunction with a Microsoft account.

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Hi there

Kingsoft office - now WPS office is by far the nearest compatible program to Ms Office MUCH BETTER THAN LIBRE OFFICE --and if you don't use VBA macros in EXCEL it's entirely FREE -- there's a PRO version with VBA included --haven't tried that yet as the LINUX version is Free with macro capability (but "Alpha - i.e pre Beta" software and you don't really want to use Alpha software in a "Production" or daily use environment).

The only problem with WPS office is that there's no email client but as a clone for Student and Teacher edition - you can't go wrong. Works fine on Windows - I might even try the PRO Windows version - it's cheap enough and there's no activation hassles. For typical "Non Power" users the Freebie is just fine.


Free Office 2013 Download, Free Office Software - Kingsoft Office

Home - Kingsoft WPS Office Community

I'm trying the Linux version with VBA -- seems to do reasonably well -- easily the best compatible EXCEL I've found.

Here's a stock chart I made with WPS Spreadsheets with correlations -- handles the calculations just fine --if your EXCEL is less complex you won't have any trouble. Forget Libre Office.

This spreadsheet opened just fine in EXCEL afterwards too. !!!!

Cheers
Jimbo

Hey folks, thanks for all the great info. It really helps!

WHS: it looks like the price on Amazon has gone down. It's now $260. But I did select the Price Notification for the product on Newegg. It looks like they are the more reputable seller after Amazon.

Lady F: Good point. Look at that:

"A Software Seller" sounds like a reputable firm! :sarc:
And 5 people say they are good! :sarc::sarc: How can 5 people be wrong? :sarc::sarc:

fireberd & jimbo: I really need to try some alternative (free) solutions. Thanks for the tips. I'm already looking for Project alternatives, since my copy of Project 2007 is keyed to this one PC and all the others are running Project 98!
But for now it's a "the devil I know" situation, as I am not the only person that has to make the transition. My plan is to migrate in a parallel fashion - try a new replacement alongside Word and Excel until I am comfortable enough with it until I can teach others.
I have some very old spreadsheets (I started with Excel 1.0 - still have the box!) so backward compatibility is pretty important.
So keep those recommendations coming! Always good to have a future plan.

Layback: yes, I am kicking and screaming into the software future. Thing is, I work in locations where there is no internet access. So having web based programs is freakin' insane in my case. Unless I want to pay the phone company for the privilege of using my software!

ignatzsonic: That is a good price (by today's standards). Thanks! (Now watch me procrastinate until it is gone!) Also thanks for confirmation on my research. It looks like 2010 is the last "real" software offered.

WHS: yeah, it looks like that is the online version, which is why you need a MS account - in order to access your OneDrive. It would be GREAT if I were wrong about that!

Again, thanks for all the feedback on this stuff. It helps simply because all of this is SO STUPID from a software seller's standpoint. Makes it hard to believe it is true.

OK Folks, how do I tell if this deal is legit?
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 for 3 PC - (Download Delivery) - SoftwareAu

I have no problem with a download rather than a DVD, but how does a three license deal work with a download? Do you need 3 keys? Or will one key work 3 times?

If I contacted the seller, what questions could I ask?

My 3 PC DVD version has a single key.

I've never heard of that SKU with the D3 suffix.

Strangely---if you google that SKU, you get only two hits: the one you found and this one:

Cheap Software Broker

https://www.google.com/search?num=1....2.0....0...1c.1.52.serp..0.2.312.iU8ZqTJ5G6M

Cheapsoftwarebroker is not even listed at resellerratings.com. Nor is softwareau.

I could not find a street address for softwareau on their website. They may be on Mars or in Melbourne. I noticed some UK type spelling... "licence". Or is that a mis-spelling.

Cheapsoftwarebroker is equally shaky--an annoying chat window covering most of the screen, no address, etc.

Both websites reek of about 1998.

I'd be spooked.

I had Kingsoft, although I never used it. I updated it to the "WPS" and it "took over". When I started Outlook I got a message that it couldn't find MS Office. I tried manually to change it but couldn't. I had to uninstall WPS.

I hate software that "takes over" and does what it wants.

TVeblen said:

OK Folks, how do I tell if this deal is legit?
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 for 3 PC - (Download Delivery) - SoftwareAu

I have no problem with a download rather than a DVD, but how does a three license deal work with a download? Do you need 3 keys? Or will one key work 3 times?

If I contacted the seller, what questions could I ask?

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I did a quick search on them and, frankly, I wouldn't trust them any further than I could spit upwind in a stiff breeze. Check these links:

Complaints

softwareau.com | Website Review for softwareau.com | WooRank.com

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...e/e271edc5-d22e-4698-963e-16ca4283bd9e?page=1

And most damning: Consumer Complaints for softwareau - Serving the Silicon Valley BBB

Duly noted!

No way to check the validity of a product code huh? Well, you know what they say about "too good to be true"!

Although I did see this from one of Lady F's links:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...e/e271edc5-d22e-4698-963e-16ca4283bd9e?page=2

And yes fireberd, nothing sets me off faster that software that will not behave!

Whether that site is any good is hard to tell. But $149 is the original price - I paid that a couple of years ago.

Regarding the download only - that should not be a problem. You just burn the .iso to DVD. And no, you do not need 3 keys. The one key will work for installation on 3 systems.

I'm still using my Microsoft Home & Student 2007 up to now. I seriously don't like buying newer versions when it's released I sometimes wait 1.5-2 years before I buy the product.

whs said:

Whether that site is any good is hard to tell. But $149 is the original price - I paid that a couple of years ago.

Regarding the download only - that should not be a problem. You just burn the .iso to DVD. And no, you do not need 3 keys. The one key will work for installation on 3 systems.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I might give that a shot. At that price a scam will sting but won't wound.
How would you tell if you had a counterfeit copy or key? It wouldn't activate?