Many of you are far more computer savvy than I am, so I'm hoping one of you can help me. I got my new MacBook Air Friday and had no trouble transferring everything from my old MBP to the MBA, and everything works fine. However, I need a copy of the latest edition of "Microsoft Office for Mac, Home and Student Edition". I've looked on Amazon and they want $139 for the thing.
Because I am a stubborn, contrary, old curmudgeon who insists upon using a Mac, instead of the University's :gag: Windows driven PCs, they won't reimburse me for the cost of the Mac version. I think that's fair, since it is my choice, and I have no problem with their policy.
However, the exorbitant cost, IMO, Microsoft charges for its software flies up my arse.
Can anyone steer me to a reputable vendor who sells this for less than Amazon? I am NOT interested in buying a pirated, bootlegged, or stolen copy. Only a legal and fully licensed copy, which I can load onto my MBA, my MBP (which I'm giving to my oldest daughter), and Rori's Mac Mini (all 3 computers are actually registered with Apple in my name, so I think I only need one copy of the MSO disk).

 

http://www.buycheapsoftware.com/ms_p...tegory~207.asp

Go with home and student version. If you are in academia, you have legal right to use academic versions of software which are always less expensive. Compare what the versions include before purchasing to make sure it has the apps you need.

 

I purchased the same program (student version) for my Mac in Nov of 2011 for $99 from Amazon. I really didn't think it was a bad price for Word, Excel, and Power Point. It sure beat the $42 I wasted on Pages & Numbers from the Apple.

 

PS Note that the $109.95 downloadable version is good for use on 3 Macs, so if you have more than one device, you can load this on multiples. Don't know if that influences your decision at all, but I thought I would point it out. For $118.95 you can get the boxed edition and the only difference is it means you get the installation CDs shipped to you instead of having to download and burn your own install CD (or save to flash drive or whatever).

BuyCheapSoftware has been around quite awhile and I've used them many times to get clients on to legit licensed software. As it turns out, their office is right down the street from where mine is now.

 

^ Thanks. I saw Amazon had the same thing for $125, so your vendor looks to be the better deal. I already have the 2008 Office for Mac Home and Student Edition, but it tends to be buggy at times. I'd rather spend the money on toys for the new car, but I guess I have to act like a responsible adult at some point. I hate when that happens.

 

Take a look at this on e-Bay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MICROSOFT-OF...item19dec33043

 

Thanks. A very good price, but that version is for a single user, though. I need the version with licensing for three users/computers.

 

Microsoft's licensing programs and options are maddeningly complex. Your university likely participates in an open license program with Microsoft and might be able to offer you a license at a slightly better price than newegg.com, cdw.com or amazon.com. But I'm not sure it would be enough to be worth your time, and they may not even be set up to accept payment from faculty to be passed on to Microsoft.

 

The bureaucratic red tape and regulations make what should be very simple tasks next to impossible. Case in point, the University wanted to try out a new course on a trial basis, but they lacked the funding to do it. I thought the course was worthwhile and would become popular with students, if the course was given a chance. So, I offered to build the course, write the syllabus, evaluate the available relevant texts, etc. on my own time AND agreed to teach the course under contract without payment or benefits of any kind.
My offer was refused because of some rather obscure and very absurd regulations, even though the University would still have made money from student tuition.
I think I'll save myself the risk of myocardial infarction and massive cerebral hemorrhaging, and simply order the software from Amazon.

 

Hmmm... Nomination for the Bob Jones University Dumb Academic Decision of the Year award?

Sounds like a good plan.