What Is Required For "Student" Software

Factual Questions
1

Over the Christmas holidays I worked in a computer store and we’d sell software.

When someone bought a Microsoft or Adobe version of software that was for students, our POS (Point of Sale) would grind to a halt and a message would flash.

It would say something along the lines of “Please inform this user he is purchasing software that is only available to registered students and employees of educational institutions. Please assign customer name, get name of school and verify student ID”

Once you did that the POS system said “Please inform the customer that once the software has been opened it is not returnable. Did you verify the above and the customer agree? If so, hit YES to proceed”

I went online to Microsoft and Adobe and found out what they consider to be a student or educator but I was wondering what exactly does the software require when you register?

Do you need a student ID which MS or Adobe actually verifies?

Disclaimer: I am not trying to find out to purchase such software or get around buying the full editions.

I was just wondering what “Proof” Adobe or MS or other software companies require.

I’m sure the messages flashed by the computer store POS were put their by the computer store, so that people couldn’t claim they bought the software by accident.

2

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3

Sites like journeyed.com require you to submit proof of being a currently enrolled student. My county also offers deals for software to students through another site (which I can’t remember). They require the student ID which is then verified back through the county.

4

Some companies go beyond that. After you’ve bought the software (and your eligibility checked by the retailer), they require you to submit proof of your eligibility through their web site. Once they verify it, they send you the actual product serial number, which is needed to activate the software.

5

I purchased a Mac using a student discount by logging into my newly established email account at school. I did not even have an id yet. No further student verification was required for the OS or for the Microsoft Office Student version.

I am not even sure there is that much checking on the education versions of software bought through Apple’s online store.

6

In addition to asking for a valid student ID, sites like JourneyEd have an alternative, which is the National Student Clearinghouse. I’m pretty sure they use it, based on the info my student spouse had to supply (as an alternative to faxing in a copy of his ID).

As the name implies, the NSC is a big ol’ database that the vast majority of higher ed institutions participate in. Each term they send in a list of every student who is registered. The Clearinghouse then can verifies a student’s enrollment status for all kinds of organizations. It’s useful for student loan deferments, for example. Colleges also find it helpful to find out where their students subsequently enroll if they leave without receiving a degree. Or to what competitor institution students end up, if they don’t enroll after being offered admission.

If this is raising all kinds of privacy red flags, you can opt out via your institution, but the NSC has generally hashed out ways to stay FERPA compliant, and it has careful protocols on who can request info on enrollment status. It’s a huge time saver for colleges (and students) who would otherwise have to be fulfilling requests for proof of enrollment.

7

In some cases, at least, all you need is a working e-mail account at an .edu domain. I’ve bought several copies of Windows 7 at half-price or less, just by providing the e-mail account my college gives me as an alumnus. I haven’t been a student there since 1984. I didn’t have to provide any other proof or information to get the OS – the full version – up and activated.

8

I bought the Adobe CS5 production suite at my school’s bookstore (they have an educational price even better than Adobe’s - $350 as opposed to $400) and I just had to furnish my school ID when purchasing. I don’t remember having to do any additional verification to install/register although I may have supplied my .edu e-mail.

9

I’ve bought software from academicsuperstore.com.

All that is required is an email address with an .edu suffix.
mmm

10

Truthfully, practically anyone can buy Microsoft Office for students. If you read their license, it includes students, educators, and parents of students. They don’t really do much verification. Microsoft Office for Students doesn’t contain Access and Exchange, but is usually 1/3 the price of the regular Microsoft Office.

It really makes sense for Microsoft to offer Office to almost all consumers at a steep student discount. The manufacturing cost of Office is the cost of pressing the CD, the packaging, and the shipping which is probably less than $5.00. Everything else is profit. Consumers aren’t likely to need that much support for Office, and thus don’t use Microsoft resources in support. If Microsoft didn’t offer the steep discount, it is very likely that people will ether install a bootleg version or even worse, use an alternative software like Open Office.

Microsoft’s main income is corporate support, and companies pay full price for the software. By selling software cheap to the public, they can get the public use to Office and they’ll be comfortable to use it at work too.

I remember a transcript when Microsoft did its best to kill the Netscape web browser. They spent millions pushing IE to various ISPs promising them free software, support, and even hardware if they made their support for IE exclusive. All of this for a program that Microsoft never made a penny on.

The transcript was a meeting talking about Windows and Microsoft Office penetration in the Chinese market and what Microsoft could do to increase the penetration. About half way through the transcript, you begin to realize that Microsoft isn’t talking about increasing sales, but increasing the use of illegal copies of Windows and Office.

Sure, right now, China was using a lot of bootleg software, but one day, China might turn into a legitimate market, and Microsoft wanted to be sure that the people there were comfortable with Windows and Office, so when they went legit, they’d pay for the license fee for Office and Windows.

By the way, Adobe and Apple are much stricter on the use of their software and student discounts. Both of these companies have a good chunk of their software sales outside the corporate suites, and can’t afford to have their major clients buy their software at a steep discount.

11

If your employer is part of the Microsoft Home Use Program (MS HUP), the discounts are phenomenal. I purchased Office 2010 Pro Plus for $9.95. It comes with two licenses.

12

Even at that, though, Apple’s “student” pricing is still available to anyone affiliated with an educational institution, not just students. Faculty and staff are also eligible for it.

13

I’ve purchased two Adobe products - Photoshop CS4 and Lightroom - at pretty deep discounts.
mmm

14

I misspoke here in calling it the “full” version. They were technically “upgrade” versions, although I don’t recall having to provide any proof or evidence of a previous version in the last install. (In saying they were “full” in the earlier post, I meant that they were the pro – not home – versions, and not “lite” or hobbled or time limited.)

Sorry for the confusion.

15

I think you’re talking about the Home and Student version, which anyone can buy. And if I remember correctly, this version allows you to install it on up to 3 computers, which makes it an even better value. You’re not allowed to use it commercially, but I don’t know if they verify that or not.

There’s also an Office Professional Academic version, which contains Outlook, Access and Publisher. To buy this one, you have to present proof of eligibility.

16

They have two licensing deals. One product used to be called “Office Student and Teacher” edition and was supposed to only be sold to someone who had a student or teacher in the house. They’ve since renamed the product “Office Home and Student” edition and no one needs to be a student or teacher. I think both editions let you install the software on up to three computers and they cost about $130. You’re not licensed to use the software for commercial purposes though.

The other deal is the Ultimate Steal and it’s for college students only (and there’s some sort of process to verify that). It’s for a single license of Office Professional for $80.