Microsoft has all but given up supplying disc based versions of Office software - see http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...crosoft+Office for another relevant thread.
While this makes sense in many ways, it also causes problems. The assumption that everyone has access to fast and affordable download services is incorrect, and as noted recently on another thread about Windoze 7, downloads can take a very long while.
It appears, though I have not been able to verify this, that MS has two forms of distribution. The basic requirement is a 25 character code which is used to activate software once it has been downloaded. However, there is also a PIN form, which is a 27 character code, which is a one time code used to retrieve the 25 character code. Since that form is a one time code, if it is used once to retrieve the 25 character code, and which is then lost or fails to work, it cannot be retrieved again. Neither suppliers nor Microsoft seem willing to help in that case.
I estimate that downloading a version of Office will cause a download of 1 Gbyte or more, and of course if there is any form of failure, the total download will be still more. Try doing that over a mobile network. Firstly it may be very slow, and unreliable, and secondly it is likely to cost at least £8, but possibly considerably more.
However, Microsoft is not the only company "forcing" users to use download services. Apple now distributes a lot of software, including OS updates, via download. Apple has also produced new machines which do not have CD or DVD capabilities, though at least it is possible to add external drives.
Users in developed countries, with high speed broadband (say 50 Mbps) may appreciate download methods of software distribution and updates, but this is less useful for some others. MS has recognised this to an extent, and will still supply CD/DVD versions for buyers in some less developed countries. What it has failed to consider, or perhaps simply doesn't care about, is that there are still users even in developed countries who do not have access to affordable high speed broadband. In some areas the only practical method for getting higher download rates is to use satellite connections, which are usually prohibitively expensive.
While this makes sense in many ways, it also causes problems. The assumption that everyone has access to fast and affordable download services is incorrect, and as noted recently on another thread about Windoze 7, downloads can take a very long while.
It appears, though I have not been able to verify this, that MS has two forms of distribution. The basic requirement is a 25 character code which is used to activate software once it has been downloaded. However, there is also a PIN form, which is a 27 character code, which is a one time code used to retrieve the 25 character code. Since that form is a one time code, if it is used once to retrieve the 25 character code, and which is then lost or fails to work, it cannot be retrieved again. Neither suppliers nor Microsoft seem willing to help in that case.
I estimate that downloading a version of Office will cause a download of 1 Gbyte or more, and of course if there is any form of failure, the total download will be still more. Try doing that over a mobile network. Firstly it may be very slow, and unreliable, and secondly it is likely to cost at least £8, but possibly considerably more.
However, Microsoft is not the only company "forcing" users to use download services. Apple now distributes a lot of software, including OS updates, via download. Apple has also produced new machines which do not have CD or DVD capabilities, though at least it is possible to add external drives.
Users in developed countries, with high speed broadband (say 50 Mbps) may appreciate download methods of software distribution and updates, but this is less useful for some others. MS has recognised this to an extent, and will still supply CD/DVD versions for buyers in some less developed countries. What it has failed to consider, or perhaps simply doesn't care about, is that there are still users even in developed countries who do not have access to affordable high speed broadband. In some areas the only practical method for getting higher download rates is to use satellite connections, which are usually prohibitively expensive.