office 2008 - multiple computers, product keys

[blehpunk]

Ok let me preface this by saying that I'm not intending to do anything shady, just trying to get some info to make this work for all of the semi-computer illiterate folks I'm working with. My nonprofit gets Office 2008 for super cheap. Generally they send us one copy of the DVDs and then all of the licenses we buy. I am working with people located all around the country with varying degrees of skill and trying to get them all on Office 2008. So my question is, are there product keys to activate Office 2008 or is it like the Leopard Family Pack and iLife? If it requires codes, then hopefully I can have people just install from their friends' copies and email them the activation code. If there is no activation like that I can just buy enough licenses to cover everyone and let them install it from their friends. Also I'm wondering if one code=one computer or if that covers a desktop and notebook.

 

[mediaguru]

If the people using Office are employees, your organization should be on a volume license program. That way, a single product will be tied to an accounting system whereby your organization reports and pays for each licensed copy that is installed. There are no product codes required for the Mac volume license installs, and there are various ways of distributing the software, such as making your own customized versions of it available for download through a secure intranet or similar. See this site at Mactopia for more information.

 

[blehpunk]

They aren't employees. We are a nonprofit with no paid staff, and no intranet, no accounting system. Its very bare bones. And we can only order it like this once a year and pay at all at once. In the past when we had to order XP we were given 10 codes for the 10 licenses we bought, and one copy of the software. I think with Office 2004 (and I can't remember entirely) we bought like 8 licenses and they just sent us once copy of the CD and no code to activate it (I could be wrong though, I don't remember if 2004 required activation).

 

[hodgjy]

EULA's vary with each software developer. Microsoft tends to be less forgiving when they sell licenses. I'm not sure who your supplier is (Microsoft directly or others), but often when you get a site license, you get 1 install disc and then all the appropriate serial codes.

However, if you are distributing this over the country, technically, you are violating Microsoft's EULA if you have people "copy their friend's DVDs" even if you give them valid codes you bought.

I would err on the side of caution and insist you get a DVD for each license you buy. I don't think your supplier will disagree with that. Then, you can certify mail each DVD and codes to each of the end users.