# Microsoft Office for $39 bucks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045 "2010-10-22T21:58:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/1 "2010-10-22T21:58:10Z")
I am a student in need of Windows Office (I tried Open Office, and it doesn’t make it for my needs). I checked online, and found this page: [http://www.crystal-downloads.com/shop/search/?s=Microsoft+Office+2010](http://www.crystal-downloads.com/shop/search/?s=Microsoft+Office+2010) At the top is a download for thirty-nine bucks. Is this a scam, or a too good to be true thing?? Thanks, hh ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/2 "2010-10-22T22:17:22Z")
An 85% discount on just-released software doesn’t sound dodgy enough to you? ---
**Author:** ![maleinblack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@maleinblack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maleinblack)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/3 "2010-10-22T22:20:45Z")
Seems like a non legit supplier. I work for Microsoft and am asking around to see if it is a legal re-seller. You can buy highly discounted copies of Office from your educational institution, when I was in school (2004), I could buy a copy for $15. You can buy a copy of Office Professional Academic directly from Microsoft for $80 [here](http://www.microsoft.com/student/office/en-us/default.aspx). ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/4 "2010-10-22T22:31:01Z")
[quote=“maleinblack, post:3, topic:558045”] Seems like a non legit supplier. I work for Microsoft and am asking around to see if it is a legal re-seller. You can buy highly discounted copies of Office from your educational institution, when I was in school (2004), I could buy a copy for $15. QUOTE] Well, at my U, they still have a link to download [can’t remember] brand spyware remover for free, and it doesn’t work, so, I can only imagine what their Office thing would be! Thanks for the link! **Scarlett67** , well, yes and no! I bought a copy of 2007 ultimate for something like 70 bucks, a few years ago, with an online student discount (which I promptly lost.) so… Thanks all, hh ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/5 "2010-10-22T22:36:52Z")
Try your work. I have a home-use copy of 2010 that I got for either $10 or $20. I’m dreading the day we (work) upgrade from 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/6 "2010-10-22T22:50:23Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > I am a student in need of Windows Office Contact your school’s IT department or bookstore - I guarantee they’ll have a copy for a very low price. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/7 "2010-10-22T23:17:50Z")
Same question was posted [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12810058#post12810058) in August. Includes this post: > [@Too cheap software](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-cheap-software/550496/8): > > Microsoft has a page about [counterfeit software](http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/content.aspx?displaylang=en&pg=counterfeit) that might be useful to you. It describes various kinds of dodgy deals - some are straight out copies, others are legit copies with a limited license re-sold as something else. It’s probably not a scam, because if you pay them you will probably get a working copy of the software. But it’s either pirated or being sold outside of what it was licensed for. If it’s illegal for them to sell it I don’t know if it’s illegal for you to buy it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/8 "2010-10-23T00:24:36Z")
If you want a legal version of the latest Office software, go to [The Ultimate Steal](http://www.microsoft.com/student/office/en-us/default.aspx). It’s run by Microsoft and you can get Office Professional for $79.99. You just need an .edu e-mail address. (This is what **Handsomeharry** is referring to). ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/9 "2010-10-23T02:07:55Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Try your work. I have a home-use copy of 2010 that I got for either $10 or $20. > > I’m dreading the day we (work) upgrade from 2003. Same here. I bought Office 2010 from [Microsoft’s HUP program](http://www.microsofthup.com/hupus/chooser.aspx?culture=en-US). [Microsoft’s Student discount program](http://www.microsoft.com/student/office/en-us/default.aspx) is $79.99. The [Crystal-Downloads.com](http://Crystal-Downloads.com) web site whois check refers to [http://www.webnic.cc](http://www.webnic.cc) which refers to an owner registered in Stroitel, Belgorodskaya oblast, RU 309070. Yet the web site has [a large image](http://www.crystal-downloads.com/info/about/) implying they are based in Stamford, CT. Kinda strange to register an American-based company with a .cc web server in Russia. IMHO, a scam site. Always think twice when you see a weird price. Now only will you get scammed, but they will have your personal information and credit card details. You will get scammed and burned. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2010, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/10 "2010-10-23T08:57:18Z")
I second or third the recommendation for The Ultimate Steal. You can get a full legit version of Office for incredibly cheap ($89 in Canada instead of $899 retail) and if you so desire you can also pick up an upgrade version of Windows 7 Pro for $39. You can download the software or for an extra $10 or so they’ll send you a really shiny DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/11 "2010-10-23T13:17:18Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Includes this post: > > It’s probably not a scam, because if you pay them you will probably get a working copy of the software. But it’s either pirated or being sold outside of what it was licensed for. If it’s illegal for them to sell it I don’t know if it’s illegal for you to buy it. At least in the case of academic editions of Adobe software being sold in the US by various resellers, the courts have held ([Wikipedia cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoftMan_Products_Co._v._Adobe_Systems_Inc.)) that the resellers can do pretty much what they want. In communicating with Adobe regarding this issue, they came back and said that they recommend users purchase Adobe products only from Adobe-authorized resellers, but that users are free to purchase any edition anywhere. I’ve purchased various products from a number of these online stores, and never had any problems activating either Adobe or Microsoft products. [I worked for a college (with the world’s most screwed-up purchasing department) for over 20 years, and thus had a valid academic claim anyway.] I’ve subsequently purchased retail update editions directly from the manufacturers and had no problem using the prior serial number as “proof of purchase” of a prior version. This isn’t to say that some of these resellers aren’t scam artists - but I’ve used several different ones and never had a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/12 "2010-10-24T23:13:15Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > (I tried Open Office, and it doesn’t make it for my needs). What doesn’t it do that you need? ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-for-39-bucks/558045/13 "2010-10-25T10:32:57Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > What doesn’t it do that you need? Well, it has a bit of a glitch in it in converting from odt into doc, if my nomenclature is correct. I had a research proposal that I had to merge a doc with an odt file that was in doc format, if you are with me so far. Just couldn’t get it to merge on my OO containing laptop. Ran into the other room, to my Windows Office computer, and merged just fine. I don’t need that kind of grief. Also, a bit of an amusing horror story. About three years ago, I had to fill out a document that I downloaded from the school. I downloaded it, in OO, converted it to doc (XP, OFFICE 97-2003, or whatever). As I was typing it up, I noticed the page was getting longer. Of course, it was a document, and these things get longer. I looked again, and noted that the page was getting longer…and narrower! It was as if the electronic page was made of rubber, and being stretched! I couldn’t believe it! I printed it out, and the hard copy was just like the screen document! I got a copy of WOffice next day. Best wishes, hh