The End is Here / The End is Near

 

The End is Here!

No, not the end of these newsletters (sorry)!

Microsoft has stopped providing Microsoft Office 2003 as of October 1, making it "End of Life".  That means that if you want Office 2003, you have to act VERY FAST to get it.  I can still get a limited number of copies of Office 2003 OEM from my distributor, but these will go fast, and the price will rise quickly.  At some point in the very near future, they will be nearly impossible to obtain.

There are several methods of obtaining Office 2003.  The OEM version is specifically for installation on a new computer, and one copy/license is required for each computer on which it is installed.  This is the most economical way of obtaining Office for business use, especially if you do not plan to upgrade to Office 2007 in the near future.

There is Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition 2003, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.  This full version is for non-commercial use by students,  teachers, and their families, and can be installed on up to three computers.  It is now very scarce, and the price has risen from $129 to over $200.  If you need/want this version and you qualify, please let me know as soon as possible so I can try to get it for you.

A third way to obtain Office 2003 is through Microsoft volume licensing.  To qualify, you must be purchasing at least five licenses.  You would purchase licenses for Office 2007, then use those licenses to "downgrade" and install the previous version.  You would also need to purchase one media kit, which contains the installation disks for Office 2003.  Once you register your license purchase, Microsoft will provide you license codes for both Office 2007 and Office 2003.  This method is the most economical if you want to install Office 2003 now, and upgrade to Office 2007 in the future.  You would just need to purchase the Office 2007 media kit, either now or when you are ready to upgrade.

What's the difference between Office 2003 and Office 2007?  See our article below, What's the Difference?

The End is Near!

While Office 2003 is "End of Life" now, Windows XP (Home and Professional) is expected to go "End of Life" at the end of this year.  That means that if you want or need to have a new computer with XP on it, you should make sure you get that computer before Christmas.

You fit into this category if you have software and/or hardware that isn't compatible with Vista, or you can't use Vista, or you don't want to get a computer with Vista.  People in this category include those with specialized software (medical applications, accounting software, package delivery software, transcription packages, electronic medical records software, just to name a few).  As with Microsoft Office 2003, once XP goes "End of Life" it will be extremely hard (and expensive) to get.

What to do?  Plan you computer purchases now.  If you will need XP, Master Software can still build you computers (desktops and laptops) with XP, and Dell Small Business will still provide XP on certain models. 

Keep checking out our Dell Specials page for the latest in, what else, Dell specials.  I get updates every few days and try to keep the page current, but you can always call and I will see what the best bargains are.  At the bottom of that page is a chart on recommended options you should consider when buying a new computer, too.

If you are buying for a business, purchase one or two extras "just in case".  (They will come in handy if one needs service and has to be out of your office for a few days).

Don't forget to consult Master Software if you have any questions, need any help configuring a computer, or want our opinion (or would just like to chat). Talk to us to help plan your strategy.

Be Careful with Online Purchases

Be especially careful with purchasing Office 2003 or XP online.  Many of the online vendors are selling volume licensing media kits as full licenses, or downloads without a CD, or some other form of the program, rather than the retail copies you might expect.  Generally, these are illegal copies, if they are even the correct program you want, and may be rejected when Windows Genuine Advantage* checks on the validity of your software and license.  WGA rejection will make you ineligible for updates that may be necessary to protect your computer from security threats.  In addition, illegal software will put your business at risk for audit and lawsuit, and may make you vulnerable to spyware and other security issues.

If a price is too good to be true, it's probably too good to be true.  It's just not worth the risk.  If you find a "great" deal you think might be legitimate, let us know.  We'll be happy to check it out for you.

* What is Windows Genuine Advantage?  It's a genuine advantage for Microsoft!  WGA is a software validation tool that Microsoft uses to determine whether your Microsoft products (Windows, Office, etc.) are legitimate.  When checking for product updates and patches, Microsoft will install WGA and check your software.  If it finds that your software is not legitimate, it will refuse to provide you the updates you might need.

 

The reason Microsoft has instituted WGA is to protect its income stream from software piracy by annoying their legitimate customers.  There have been cases where WGA pronounces software that is perfectly legal as illegitimate, but these cases are rare.  If you purchase your software from known, trusted sources, you should have no problem with WGA, and if you do, your software source will be there to help you resolve it.