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Office Home/Student really married to hardware? (Non transferable)? Office 365 better?

I read on an amazon review that if you buy 2013 Office (home/student), and your computer dies, you MAY NOT install it on your new computer - that it is married to the physical hardware on which it is installed.

IS THAT TRUE?

If so, maybe the Office 365 is a better bet.

Is it legal for dad to buy the 365 subscription for $100/year and allow his 3 adult kids who don't live at home to use it? I presume the dad would be the administrator and each kid would have is own work space?

I'm really not in love with the subscription model but spending $139+$109 for Home/Student plus Publisher) seems expensive, and risky if it really is married to that hardware.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Mike

justinoleary911

Ive reinstalled every version office many times with no issues, theres no link between hardware and the software. I would suggest office 365 home premium, you can see all the great benefits you get in the article below

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026710/why-office-365-is-a-better-deal-than-office-2013.html

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Michael Dyer

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justinoleary911

Im running Office 2013 and Ive reinstalled it succesfully 2 times. its one licence but by default you get 45 activations

David Johnson, CD

I'm surprised their isn't a deactivate option available through the web..

Yes the subscription does allow for 5 licenses tied to the one subscription there are a few licensing caveats ... the office software can only be used by one user at a time, cannot be used for commercial purposes. We have to wait until Feb 27th for the SMB offering/pricing

There are 2 ways to activate office 2013 via your microsoft account (which I believe the subscription plan will use) and via product key.

You also get a lot more with the subscription than with the home/student version..

mike2401

ASKER

ve3ofa: I find your comment that it can only be used by "one user at a time" to be completely beyond imagination.

Any citations to that?

Sorry for being skeptical,

Mike

mike2401

ASKER

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/home-premium/#SeeTopFeatures

They say: "For your whole household, Use Office on up to 5 PCs or Macs with just one subscription"

How in the world could that possible be construed as: you (and only you) may use it on up to 5 computers in your house, but your wife needs to buy her own copy, and each of your kids needs to do the same.

REALLY? I find that hard to believe.

mike2401

ASKER

This 60 second video from microsoft:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/videos/video-adding-family-members-to-office-VA103985961.aspx

suggests that it is NOT "one user at a time"

(thanks webtechgal)

Mike

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David Johnson, CD

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mike2401

ASKER

OK. I'll buy that: you install it on 5 machines, you can't have 7 people RDP'ing into one of them.

Thanks,
Mike

mike2401

ASKER

thank you!