Getting MS Office on mb air

Do you have another Mac or Windows PC with an optical disk drive (ODD)?
If so, use Remote Disc Sharing, or if you have a Mac, use this method to make a .dmg file you can copy and install from: How To Make Copies of DVDs

jlyanks85 said:

My question is, would the new dvd/cd sharing feature work to get office on the air? I would be using my iMac's drive to do this.

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Yes, it would.

MacBook Air, Mac mini: How to use Remote Disc to share DVDs or CDs from a Mac or Windows-based computer

If you want to have an external optical drive for your Air, you don't have to spend $80 on the Superdrive. Most of the $30 portable drives sold for Netbook computers work fine on the Macbook Air.

(Note: I haven't verified this, but have read here that the Apple DVD player application may not work with non-Apple drives for watching movies from the disk. There are alternate players which will work fine (i.e. VLC) for playback. )


-howard

Just download the trial version from the MS Office side and then validate by typing in the key.
I haven't done the key bit yet, but MS Office trial works perfect.

larmende said:

Just download the trial version from the MS Office side and then validate by typing in the key.
I haven't done the key bit yet, but MS Office trial works perfect.

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I did this for my wife's MacBook Pro. We bought the computer and ordered Office 2011 from Amazon. In the meantime, I installed the trial from MS. When the disk came, I just put in the key and it worked flawlessly.

larmende said:

Just download the trial version from the MS Office side and then validate by typing in the key.
I haven't done the key bit yet, but MS Office trial works perfect.

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That is exactly what I did as well. I could have shared the drive on one of my other Mac's, but this method was convenient. I did the same with Lightroom, Aperture and a few other programs.

Actually, you can buy a download version from Amazon and if you ever need to reinstall, it's available on the Amazon server under your account.

gmccj said:

Actually, you can buy a download version from Amazon and if you ever need to reinstall, it's available on the Amazon server under your account.

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That's what I did for Office 2011 on my new Air. Probably the best option if you don't already have it.

Buy the Superdrive and return it after you're done with it (well you can buy any drive, even the generic ones from Best Buy or Amazon for much less than the Apple one that only works on the MacBook Air and Mac mini server).

Alternatively you can use another computer, but for me that never works.

larmende said:

Just download the trial version from the MS Office side and then validate by typing in the key.
I haven't done the key bit yet, but MS Office trial works perfect.

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Thanks - that just saved me the cost of an external drive

Yes, you can easily install MS office on it.

Another option, if you perhaps only need a more advanced text editor, is to download openoffice.org

BTW, you are talking about the mac version, right? For the windows version you need to install windows firts

I simply downloaded the MS Office trial and then activated it using the key that came with the CD.

alphaod said:

Buy the Superdrive and return it after you're done with it (well you can buy any drive, even the generic ones from Best Buy or Amazon for much less than the Apple one that only works on the MacBook Air and Mac mini server).

Alternatively you can use another computer, but for me that never works.

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I did just that. Actually, I purchased an open box (SuperDrive). Since it had been opened, I didn't feel that bad having to return it had it been a new one. But, I've decided to keep it. I've been using it quite a bit when renting movies on the go.

Does anyone know if the Office for Mac is a product key or an actual disc inside the box? I have the trial version for 30days. I will definitely need to purchase it after the trial period.

ET iPhone Home said:

Does anyone know if the Office for Mac is a product key or an actual disc inside the box? I have the trial version for 30days. I will definitely need to purchase it after the trial period.

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The retail box has both the disc and the product key.