You are here: Fairness.com > Resources > Can you get MS Office for $129? Yes...

Can you get MS Office for $129? Yes! But there's a catch

Date: November 30, 2001
Author: David Coursey
QUOTE: Or maybe this is Microsoft's way of monetizing casual piracy--essentially by charging $129 (list is $149, Costco is discounting the software) for the copies people used to make illegally? And by not being especially particular about who is able to buy this discounted software?

ABSTRACT: Many software publishers provide less expensive "academic versions" of software to students and teachers... but this has almost always been done through special distribution channels that the general public does not have access to. Coursey notes the appearance of academic versions of Microsoft's "bread and butter" product Microsoft Office in chain warehouse stores catering to the general public, and he speculates why this may be happening. Explanations regarding piracy and licensing issues are one of several briefly explored, but it seems quite plausible (and if so, questionable).

Article MetaInformation:

Key People:
Key Organizations:
Subject & Geographic Categories:

Comments:

none
*User comments are posted without Fairness.com LLC's prior review or approval, and Fairness.com LLC takes no responsibility for them; please see our Conditions of Service Agreement.