A question about wireless networks...

[Keli]

I attend a small church and we are about to install a wireless network for the computers in the building (I think we have four of them right now). I've got zero experience dealing with networks of this type and I've got a question I hope some DIS'er can help me with.
I'm getting ready to buy Office 2007 for the computer I use at the church. If I am networked with everyone else will they be able to use the same application I am using (say Microsoft Word) at the same time I am using it? Also, I haven't dealt with licensing issues with software before and I'm wondering, is it acceptable to buy software for one pc but allow others access to it via the network? Or is there a license we buy for the other computers? Or are we required to buy a separate copy of the software for each pc?

 

[Galahad]

I attend a small church and we are about to install a wireless network for the computers in the building (I think we have four of them right now). I've got zero experience dealing with networks of this type and I've got a question I hope some DIS'er can help me with.
I'm getting ready to buy Office 2007 for the computer I use at the church. If I am networked with everyone else will they be able to use the same application I am using (say Microsoft Word) at the same time I am using it? Also, I haven't dealt with licensing issues with software before and I'm wondering, is it acceptable to buy software for one pc but allow others access to it via the network? Or is there a license we buy for the other computers? Or are we required to buy a separate copy of the software for each pc?

Legally, you're going to have to buy a site license or other mechanism for multiple PC's. You can't just buy one copy and use it on multiple computers without being in violation of licensing rules. It's also a bit kludgey to try to use an application like that when the software resides on another computer from yours on the network.

 

[bicker]

The only legal way to run software on another computer is via remote access, using a tool such as Remote Desktop Connection. The computer where the software in installed would have to be at least Windows XP Professional or Windows Vista Premium -- these operating systems cost more than the "Home" versions of the operating system, though, to account for this extra power. With those operating systems, any Windows computer can connect to the computer with the application software installed on it. The software actually runs on that computer, not the one the user is sitting in front of. You're just remotely accessing and controlling the computer with the software on it.

Of course, only one person can use the software at a time.