And... The Ultimate Steal makes a comeback

[Lashiec]

So, yeah, Microsoft decided again to offer its entire suite for nothing, or almost, just $59.95. Just a catch: you have to be a student, and live in one of the countries that offers the promotion (hover the mouse cursors over the flag to see them).

[attach=#]

Frankly, if I knew Microsoft would get ODF support right with the SP2, I would buy it right away
via One Microsoft Way

[Curt]

-> Quote: "COMING SOON: (...) Denmark (...)" Yes! We didn't get the offer the first time, but our time has finally come. This is really good news! I have Ultimate 2007 TRIAL installed, and I like it! Normally I am running Office 2003 Student/Teacher (extended with Access to equal (and list as) the Office Standard), and it will be so good to get the updated big brother.

However, I might be rejoicing to soon, because only time will tell if I can update my 2003 into this $60 version of 2007, as I no longer am eligible. 

I have by the way one complaint against Office 2007: The Office Image/Picture Manager has not been updated at all. It is an exact copy of version 2003, except for the ©-year.

[Darwin]

Has anyone taken advantage of this already (in places where it is offered?). I'm wondering what kind of documentation is required for eligibility? I am a student at an English University but live in Canada (long story)...

[mediaguycouk]

You need an .ac.uk email address. There is no other confirmation to do (unless they specifically target you for a random fraud test)

[Deozaan]

What regions of the world is this offer limited to?

[Lashiec]

What regions of the world is this offer limited to?

Lazy guy

Just a catch: you have to be a student, and live in one of the countries that offers the promotion (hover the mouse cursors over the flag to see them).

[Deozaan]

Whoops.

I skimmed the initial post and missed that part.

[lanux128]

i wish they'd extend the offer to more countries.

[Carol Haynes]

Hmm ...the comback continues and now they are including (with UK prices):

Office 2007 Ultimate Edition £38.95
Office 2007 Language Pack £9.95 (per language)
Visio 2007 Professional £36.95
Vista Ultimate (SP1) Upgrade Editions (both 32-bit and 64-bit editions available) £40.95 each

These are all downloadable editions but you can order media for each item at £9 each (except Language Packs which are download only).

You can only buy one copy.

See: http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-uk/default.aspx

Available in 14 different countries

[Darwin]

So... the upgrade to Vista Ultimate 64-bit, as I understand it, should download as an iso. Legalities aside, this *should* allow me to do a clean install of Vista 64-bit over my 32-bit version of Vista Home Premium, no? The upgrade paths that they list on the Windows website indicate that from a licensing perspective one cannot upgrade from a 32-bit version to a 64-bit version... However, Windows Secrets and other bloggers have advertised with abandon the fact that it is possible to buy upgrade versions of Vista and use them to do clean installs. The legal aspects of this are murky...

Of course, I have Windows Server 2008 64-bit already BUT I'll need to spend much, much more than $70 to buy versions of various software that I want to run under it that WILL run under it (ie I need Server versions, which are "dear", to say the least).

Thoughts?

[J-Mac]

Odd - if you hover over the "Am I eligible?" link #2 says that you must be a student at a US educational institution. Huh? 

Jim

[Grorgy]

ahhh Jim, its doing that because the link in the first post is to the US site, each country has its own, so yes on the US site you do have to be a student (staff?) at a US college, but in other countries then its in colleges in their countries

[Carol Haynes]

I have to confess I bought the Vista 'upgrades' in this offer (shame I hear you cry).

The downloads are upgrade only (though there are techniques to generate ISO discs instead).

Having said that I opted to buy a physical disc. They are not actually 'upgrade' discs they are Vista Anytime discs and repectively contain all flavours of Vista on the 32bit and 64bit discs. They install absolutely as standard - not as upgrades though you can use them as an upgrade disc. I installed to a blank partition without even being asked for a qualifying product.

Interestingly with Vista (unlike XP) you can install for 30 days without even entering a product key but nevertheless you can use Windows update to fully update Vista during the 30 day period. With XP you can't really update it until you activate it.

This is a really good idea in Vista becasue it means you can completely set up your system before you activate and make sure everything is fine before you commit yourself to the activation process. At least then if anything goes wrong you can start again without having to call MS and explain what happened.

[Darwin]

Thanks Carol - sounds like that is the way forward, then. If I have to order the media, I'll wait for next month as I'll be a student in Canada (in addition to the UK) as of January 5!

[mediaguycouk]

Interesting that you are allowed to upgrade OSX to Vista without buying the full version

[attach]

[Carol Haynes]

It's also interesting looking at the listed versions of windows that qualify - I thought MS initially said that only Windows 2000 and XP qualified for upgrade prices to Vista?

[mwb1100]

It's also interesting looking at the listed versions of windows that qualify - I thought MS initially said that only Windows 2000 and XP qualified for upgrade prices to Vista?

At least one prominent page at microsoft.com still says that:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/get/upgrade-your-pc-options.aspx

Upgrade copies are not available for versions of Windows earlier than Windows 2000. These earlier versions of Windows require you to install a full copy of Windows Vista.

[Carol Haynes]

Now that is ambiguous - are they saying upgrades are not available or are they saying you can buy an upgrade but need to do a clean install?

[fenixproductions]

2Lashiec

Frankly, if I knew Microsoft would get ODF support right with the SP2, I would buy it right away

Your dream might come true:
http://blogs.msdn.com/dmahugh/archive/2008/12/16/odf-implementation-notes-for-office-2007-sp2.aspx
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/16/microsoft_office_2007_sp2_odf_support/

[Lashiec]

It's also interesting looking at the listed versions of windows that qualify - I thought MS initially said that only Windows 2000 and XP qualified for upgrade prices to Vista?

We students are poor fellas that still have to work with Windows 98. A little help is always welcomed ;)

Your dream might come true:
http://blogs.msdn.com/dmahugh/archive/2008/12/16/odf-implementation-notes-for-office-2007-sp2.aspx
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/16/microsoft_office_2007_sp2_odf_support/

Cool, Microsoft doing things right! :)

[Darwin]

We students are poor fellas that still have to work with Windows 98. A little help is always welcomed

If your university has an arrangement with MS through www.dreamspark.com, you can get 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003 and 2008... FREE!

[Lashiec]

If your university has an arrangement with MS through www.dreamspark.com, you can get 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003 and 2008... FREE!

Hehe, just mocking Carol a bit. Thankfully we have arrangements with Microsoft so we can get for free nearly all of their important software, except for Office, of course.

Even then, without this arrangement, my fellow students know where to get them for free

[Carol Haynes]

I haven't actually installed Windows Server 2003/2008 yet (though I have downloaded it and got a key). Are you saying both 32 bit and 64 bit versions are on the same image because DreamSpark doesn't doesn't mention the installation type.

[Darwin]

I haven't actually installed Windows Server 2003/2008 yet (though I have downloaded it and got a key). Are you saying both 32 bit and 64 bit versions are on the same image because DreamSpark doesn't doesn't mention the installation type.

The download at dreamspark for Windows Server 2008 is for the 32-bit version. However, the key is good for either 32-bit or 64-bit so, if you want the 64-bit version you need to download the trial ISO from MS, burn it to DVD, install it and then you can activate it with the key. However, AFAIK, you can only activate one OR the other version with the key, not both.

[Carol Haynes]

OK - I didn't know that. Useful stuff