Microsoft Office Key code???

[Antonia]

I got DS a new computer for Christmas and now it says the trail for Microsoft office has expired and to either purchase it or enter a 25-digit code that may be on the back of the CD case. Well,it came pre-loaded on a computer I bought through Home Shopping Network. We don't have a CD case or a 25-digit code.

I feel like we paid for it in the cost of the computer, but possibly not. This is the only software to do this on that computer.

Any suggestions other than to pay for Microsoft office. He cannot send email on Outlook and I believe it has something to do with the microsoft office not being activated.

 

[keishashadow]

Same thing happened to us! Best Buy geeks said that the microsoft anti-trust lawsuit is to blame (?) the computers don't come pre-loaded anymore.

Irritating that we've got it on our 2 older computers, hate the thought of having to buy it (again).

 

[KathyTX]

Outlook is part of the Microsoft Office Suite, so that probably is his problem. Outlook Express is the free mail client, you might want to download and install that on his PC (or some other, non-Microsoft email client.)

If you did purchase Office (very doubtful on a QVC computer), you should have received an envelope or certificate with a sticker containing the product code.

If not, you'll need to purchase something else to use. Microsoft Office 2003 (standard edition) goes for $400. But Office Works (think Word and Excel Lite) is about $50.

There are other, less expensive word processing and spreadsheet packages available.

What applications in Office was he using?

 

[Dan Murphy]

You are saying the Office program was a trial (you said trail, but assume a misspell). If a trial, when it ends, you either quit using it or purchase. The request to do the 25 digit key is a standard request, in case you have purchased it, which you did not.

If your son is a student, you might want to buy the Teacher/Student Edition, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C0XT1/103-8864180-2466242?n=229534 http://www.microsoft.com/office/editions/howtobuy/compare.mspx Same as the standard edition.

You do have Outlook Express already, part of IE, though Outlook is a much richer product. Take a look at that Student Edition.

 

[kendall]

The trial version won't have key codes. If you didn't receive a CD with your computer, you probably don't have a license for Microsoft Office - the keycode is often on the back of the CD case.

If you have a student in the family, buying the student version of Office is the best bet.

If not, an alternative is Open Office, which is a suite of applications similar to Microsoft Office, but built on open code and is free. I do not think there is an email component to Open Office.

If email is the problem, I recommend downloading Mozilla's Thunderbird - you will still have to put in the mail servers, etc., but Thunderbird is a nice email suite, and is open source (free).

Outlook Express is free, and will do the job, too. Available at Microsoft's website.

 

[drgnfly30]

I got DS a new computer for Christmas and now it says the trail for Microsoft office has expired and to either purchase it or enter a 25-digit code that may be on the back of the CD case. Well,it came pre-loaded on a computer I bought through Home Shopping Network. We don't have a CD case or a 25-digit code.

I feel like we paid for it in the cost of the computer, but possibly not. This is the only software to do this on that computer.

Any suggestions other than to pay for Microsoft office. He cannot send email on Outlook and I believe it has something to do with the microsoft office not being activated.

Mine too came with a trial version of Office but also came loaded with Microsoft Works, check his programs & see if it has it... I don't like it as much as Office but it'll save $ if all he needs is a word processor etc... BTW he needs to open Office (Word/Excel) documents, you can download a free viewer from Microsoft.com.

 

[Antonia]

Thanks everyone! My computer came pre-loaded with software and that is what threw me about his. It is only the second computer our family has ever owned and we are not that computer literate. I appreciate all your help. Thanks!!!