Retail Copies of Office 2013 Are Tied To a Single Computer Forever

Has this story been verified as correct? Every time there is a new version of Windows or Office I see stories like this...

 

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/microsoft-software-license-agreement-FX103576343.aspx

Under "RETAIL LICENSE TERMS" a few paragraphs from the top:

 

Thanks for the clarification. I had not seen anything official before now. Maybe I should start donating money to Linux instead of giving it to all of the Microsoft subscription fees I pay every year.

 

If true, it makes no sense. Why would you buy the same product, for the same price, knowing that the day your hardware dies (which could be any day really) you have to purchase again? The solution seems simple to me anyway. If they lock the license to hardware, bring the price way down so it becomes only a minor inconvenience, not a major purchase.

I agree with others sentiments, it will encourage piracy. I guess it shouldn't be suprising. The decisions of people out of touch with the masses doesn't apply just to governments lol.

Sul.

 

It makes PERFECT sense. Because they want to "politely", drive you to buy the subscription model instead. Isn't it obvious? And probably, the ideal anti-piracy scheme for all companies,is if all programs go to the cloud. Or even more, leave the end user with a "dumb" terminal, made by a screen and internet connection and "rent" the processing power of a remote server which will be doing all the job. You know, they ll find as usual a carrot "Why own a real PC, when by renting a service running remotely, you have no hardware failures, RMA, patches, malware, to worry about"?

 

No, it doesn't?

Of course it is! - But it won't work!?! - Earth is not populated with total dummies, or is she? - I don't think they can force us to use their subscription model, neither with office nor OS system.

Yes, they want to have each and every year something to sell to us (I guess they are counting the money already like others count sheep at night!), but I don't know if there is anyone who will actually fall for that!? - Completely brainless people maybe?

I have a brain and I will use it! => I will switch to Linux if they don't stop this!

 

I think you are exactly right. I will not move to a subscription model myself. I have enough monthly bills.

 

That could be the intent, but I don't think the user base that has been used to "the way things were" are going to get excited about that.

However, those relatively new to the aspect, who are growinging up with so much "cloud" based stuff, may well adopt it willingly.

I suppose they have to wait for all of us old farts to kick the bucket in order to really implement such a thing. I know I would not be tempted.

I wonder if this would be good incentive for someone to develop a real alternative, and charge for it.

Sul.

 

Yes I agree, you are not alone

 

I think MS isn't "dumb". They know that "easy does it". That's why they let you the choice. Pay "low and regularly" for time-limited subscription or pay a lot at once, BUT, with a license that theoretically could end tomorrow... 2 versions down the road, many if most people will be accustomed to "subscription".

It's the same as Metro in Win8. MS, ideally, would want to "force" you only Metro. But they know that "easy does it". So, they make the OS in a way you can't really disable Metro (unless you are a power user), but only minimize interaction with it to a strictly necessary level. It's a start. You build an "accustomed" userbase, which will later accept easily the next level. If "Joe" sees Metro everyday, even if for a little while, Joe won't be shocked if in the future, he will see ONLY metro. He will say "oh well, i knew it was coming".

The cloud too, starts in a "subtle" manner. It's your AV, your "cloud storage", Skydrive in the OS... People get used to the idea slowly. Once many are accustomed to the idea, you go one step further. It's like DRM. Can you imagine in pre-DRM era if you said out of the blue "listen, from tomorrow, no more keys. You will activate online and it will also be tied once and for all to your current machine". The reaction of the pubblic, would be the same it was, when Intel said that they wanted to make unique serial for each Pentium: "Are you insane? boycott Intel!". Nowdays, would anyone care if their CPU had unique ID? You have tracking cookies, programs phoning home your hardware configuration and God knows in what detail all the time. It's the same here. After years where the users are accustomed to "activations", "genuine Windows authentication" bla bla, "PC lifetime", starts becoming "not outrageous" to many... And for those it does, well, even better! Regular, easily predictable cash flow is every company's dream... If in the future this goes all to the cloud, even better.

People will do anything, if you give them an "advantage" that will "hide" the disadvantages and time enough to make the idea sink into the heads and seem normal. This holds for everything, not just computers. If you go to the arena and watch the gladiators spil the guts of each other, well, you won't be shocked if you see lions spiling guts of unarmed people either. Or take fashion. People in the course of history, were "convinced" by fashion designers, to wear or follow some unbelievable things that even half generation behind them wouldn't ever do. Could you convince your grandma to make a piercing today? No way! A teenager yes, because he sees piercing in "role models" (kindly presented by show biz).

If i knew how to code, i 'd build a Linux distro for "Windows refugees" where you 'd never need to open the command line and be able to solve every problem by searching around with the mouse, as well as, a friendly way to run as many Windows applications as possible. I have enough incentive, but no skill to do it. Unfortunately, Linux developers, who have the skills, are more interested into making a 10th desktop enviroment, as to admire their toy, than actually open the "open source OS to the masses". Cause if the masses don't come, something must be wrong with your "door", not being "open enough", not the masses.

 

i can understand where businesses might need Office but home users can use something else.

i haven't used Office for ages.
i have no use for a word processor who weigh close to 800 MB.

 

You don't matter... You are a power user, that's why you are in this forum and you are small minority, just like the hardware enthusiasts that steam smoke out of their ears in hardware fora because AMD turned into server oriented CPUS instead of gaming CPUs or because there is a rumour that AMD won't produce 8000 series GPUS for a good while. The minority doesn't count much.

What matters most to companies is what the majority will do. The majority determines the success or not the "standard" and defines "mainstream". The majority, is the same people who install fake antivirus, they install a "freeware" together with the 2 free "toolbars" and 1 "set as new homepage!" because they don't care to read the installation and deselect them. My own brother doesn't know how to find the calculator in his Windows (it's not a joke). This is the majority and if the majority falls for it, it will become mainstream. When "activations" first appeared, few were bitching about them. Now we 've arrived to "activation tied to your current hardware only". When the first toolbars appeared, few were bitching about them. Now you find "OpenCandy" even in opensource installers. I 've been bitching about these things for years, including in this forum. But, you see it really doesn't matter. What the mass of people who isn't power user will do is what matters. For the rest, the minority of the "last of the Mohicans" will be able to come to Wilders and make polls of consolation, like "do you trust software with toolbars?" , "do you like the new activation scheme?" etc. etc.

 

@ Fuzzfas:

I understand all your thoughts and you are not wrong of course! - But it is too negative for me, giving up already before the fight against the evil company even starts!?

We "power users" (compared to the dumb rest) have an obligation in our own interest to tell people what's going on! - And we have the ways! All of you have probably a few family computers or of friends etc. as maintenance object because YOU are the guy for that. Others have lots of customers. - And the information about what MS is going to do will spread.

And I can tell you one thing: people don't want to be forced, they don't like to be outsmarted ... press will mention that and a shitstorm will break loose - at least I hope for it. - And then there is always the chance for Ballmer, the evil behind all that, to get (I hope forcefully to give him his own medicine!) replaced! - It's dumb policy to force people away from your products by making them angry if they could have ALL of them, just listening to all groups! - I don't want a touchy frigging metrosexual GUI system. Why do they force that on me and my desktop? They could leave a choice and reach their financial goals much better.

And they won't sell subscriptions to normal people, I am sure about that! - Those dumb people willing to do that have to be born yet or many brains have to be erased. - You don't pay monthly for software, you just don't! Why should we? I don't care about the needs of MS share holders, sorry! - And it's not acceptable (courts will decide against it!) to make software only run on one system and if that system dies .. you have to buy new software! Thats misuse of power or however it is called, won't happen in the EU at least! - But maybe you say that is too naive and positive, I say one can't give up before the thing has started!

Do inform all people you know about what's going on, how they are gonna be ripped of by MS and what they can do against it:

DO NOT BUY THOSE SOFTWARE UNDER THOSE TERMS!

AND RAISE YOUR VOICE AGAINST REDMOND WHENEVER POSSIBLE!

Let's make this the biggest sh!tstorm the world has seen!

 

I certainly won't buy. I will have to use MS Office in one occasion that doesn't depend on my will, for about a year, but i sure as hell won't buy this abomination. I 've already taken care of how i will solve the problem.

But, i am not very optimistic. I 've been bitching about activations (now we 've arrived to the "PC lifetime"), about invasive game copy protections (we ve seen the point of games tied to the hardware or requiring internet connection active at all times to play), about toolbars (lately i 've seen at least 2 open source programs coming with OpenCandy pre-selected on the installer and i was "wft!!!"). And in all cases, not even power users could unite in this. I 've seen hords of power users replying with the usual "why don't want online activations? Are you a pirate?". I 've heard the same in game fora. Or the other usual "i don't mind". Well, now that you may mind, it's too late for both of us...

Fortunately, i m almost done with games. I only buy from GOG.com nowdays, which is DRM free.

With a bit of luck, i will be able to return to Open/Libre Office as usual after the months i ll have to spend with MS Office. And when i ll have my own money to afford it, i may pay someone to teach me the ins and out of Linux and ditch Windows too.

But, human mentality is manageable and companies have pros to do their job for them. I have little hope that this Office scheme may fail, by a miraculous reaction of the users. I have almost no hope on the other hand, that one day everything won't go to the cloud.

If wild teenagers accepted the various DRMs forced to them in their games, i am pretty sure the less invasive "pay subscription or pay for PC lifetime", can also pass. It's less forceful if you think about it. For the cloud it's even simpler. I can think of plenty of "bait"-"advantages" and you will always find the usual fashion victims that will say "how cool! i won't have to install ANYTHING anymore! Now it's all in the cloud, i can access it from everywhere and a professional technician is taking care of everything for me!".

Honestly, i m tired. I 've raised my voice several times, finally i realized the futility. Also, if you do things gradually and throw in the mix some "fashionable" terms like "progress", "modern", it's certain that you ll get enough honest support. Humans aren't too much different than Pavlov's dog. They simply need a different kind of "reward" as motivation, but they can be "educated" into pretty much any idea.


P.S.: I admire your faith in EU, but Brussels is ruled by lobbies too. In the best case they will allow the subscription only model (which is more than fine for MS). You can't deny that too.

 

Creepy... you guys are getting too far away from the thread's matter.

I'm with you on the criticism against this new restriction where retail versions are tied to one machine forever. If you are going to sell retail versions, do it properly or don't do at all...

However, I disagree that subscriptions do not seem like a good idea.

In reality, some people just want to pirate and get paid software for free easily, as they were accustomed to do during all these years. Of course such people will see subscriptions as an impediment, something to fight against. They never bought legitimate software in the first place. Even if subscriptions provide a much better deal, nothing beats $0.

In my opinion, subscriptions to combos of software and services such as Microsoft Office 365 and the Adobe Creative Cloud, for example, are OK. These are powerful, complex combos of software suites and services that only giant companies can properly maintain on an optimal level of quality.

As for Microsoft and Office 365, I just wish they lowered the prices and provided more options with different prices. For example, lowered prices for an option of Office 365 with Excel, Word and PowerPoint only. I hope they address this soon.

 

I 've lost count on how many DRM "upgrades" i 've read the same... Let me tell you the future. In some years from now, after you 've seen that subscriptions can be cracked just fine (it will be a joke for pirates to crack them), someone in this forum, will be saying "i agree to put everything in the cloud, this of course, will not be liked by pirates".

It's always been this way. The problem is, my interest and a company's interest, is not the same... I m not Balmer.

 

AFAIK, it isn't possible to "easily" crack the entire combos. One may crack some part of the combos (the one that gets installed locally), but not the entire offer (software + services).

 

Oh you wish?

They don't want to get the SAME money just more frequently!? - They want MORE, that's their goal! - And this whole thing would be MS being a bank if it's just about the splitting of the one time payment into many months. - No, no, no ... they want to be like your IRS ... getting fresh money all the time, lots of it! - Only GREED is what motivates all that! - Why would I want to support this?

And no, office is something most private people don't really need. I don't! - A much smaller solution would work too (shareware). And I would like a product that works and maybe after 5 (!) years (not months!) they could come up with a new version an REAL new features. - But they don't know what to implement in that software further already after so many years getting it bloated, that's the problem. - All they know is: we want CA$H, every year, let's force those dumb customers to pay all the time!!! - Now they soon don't have to wait anymore for a new version to be released to earn money, they let us pay forever ... and giving us in return .. exactly NOTHING (that we need or want!) .. and btw why has a software to be made always new again? Ribbons? Touch-Junk? - Not for the customers! It's all about money, money, money.

They don't like the old way because we only paid ONCE (if at all) for many years (I am using still Office2007)! - I say we people have no need for paying much more often for the same thing that gets just a new color! - And bugs they fixed in the past for years after release -> gratis! - Now we have to buy a subscription?!? - Why should we?!?!? What do those arrogant pricks smoke?

Why not releasing a new Office version every half year? Would be even more cash, or maybe not? Why not every other week?

And btw. it was made very clear by one magazine that the subscription model only is of use for people who need lots of licenses (all of them). Normal people don't. It get's more expensive for them. - Dream on about price reductions. - That will only happen if people are leaving the sh!t on the shelves! That's my dream!

I hate MS so much for what they are doing! - I wonder what developers say to all those news? - They are the reason why Windows got so big, not Microsoft! - If they get angry with MS that would be really powerful I guess.

Maybe I don't wait with the switch to Linux until Win7 is EOL. - That's how much they piss me off! - And you say that is CLEVER of them!?

 

Wild Hunter, whatever has high demand, attracts crackers. Crackers have arrived to patch the BIOS to crack Windows. Malware writers bypassed UAC and patchguard and can install a rootkit. You think Office will stop them? They ll probably make some loader to reset the subscription counter to zero at will or at every boot.

But as i said, my interest isn't Balmer's interest. Balmer may find "uncrackable", the idea that i have to send him a retina scan online everytime i open Office. Should i care? Pirates are his problem, not mine. And everytime there was a "new protection", it was because "we lose sales". But then of course the new protection was promptly cracked and "sales were lost again". We 've arrived to the ridiculously amusing point to read burner reviews which were underlying "how many sheep burner is this". Refering to CloneCD's sheep. So the reviewer was openly telling you how good in copying game protection your burner was. And so on with this charade. And btw, if they think that 'd manage to take money from all pirates, they live in a dreamworld.

 

Oh that doesn't apply to me. I want several aspects of the Office 365 offer. I like easily accessible web apps, I like more web storage, I like "one subscription for up to 5 devices" and I like perpetual updates/upgrades.

So it isn't even worth discussion. If the combo offers no value for you, you should look for alternatives. Period.

 

Waaaait!

Even if I don't understand your need for all that (to me useless features) I want to ask you the following question:

If you get all those new features of v2013 and are happy then, why would you need a v2014, 2015 etc? - What could possible be implemented into that bloatware that isn't right now?

Maybe you like to have the newest version but you can't make me believe that you actually NEED all those features that exist mainly as a reason to release a new version!?

And that's not a problem for MS at some point? If they at the same time want to cash more and make terms bad for customers? How is this gonna work out?

 

This is going to be different. It's the same principle of Steam. You can crack a Steam game, but you can't crack the said game to play it on Steam, accessing the exclusive services of the platform.

 

Those are Office 365 cloud services, not Office 2013 software features AFAIK.

 

I remember the sheep! I forgot all about that lol.

I use office 97 when I need it, which isn't often really. I use polyedit lite most of the time. This whole topic doesn't relate to me at all I guess. Other than the sheep

Sul.

 

Cause Balmer is a good guy and we should show him solidarity?